Key Through the Heart
by Andrew Joshua Talon
Summary: REWRITTEN AND REVISED AS KEY THROUGH THE HEART: FINAL MIX. CONSIDER THIS A ROUGH DRAFT.
1. Genin Test

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Hatake Kakashi picked up a carton of milk, casually regarding it as though deeply engrossed in the nutritional information the label contained.

The Hokage nearby smirked as he continued rearranging things in his office. He knew better.

"So, Team Seven… I'm guessing you're wanting the Uchiha survivor?"

Kakashi shrugged, setting the milk back down. His single visible eye, as usual, showed an indifferent expression. Well, as much indifference as a single eye could communicate.

"If he can pass…"

"And the others?" Sarutobi asked. Kakashi frowned.

"The Haruno girl seems to be all brains… I'll have to do something about that… As for the Uzumaki kid… He seems almost hopeless."

The Hokage chuckled, and Kakashi frowned slightly beneath his mask.

"Possibly… I trust you've heard about the incident he was involved in with the traitor?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Yes… He and his chuunin instructor apparently helped keep Mizuki from getting the scroll to Orochimaru's agents."

Sarutobi turned back on the grey-haired jounin, a smirk on his aged face. Kakashi frowned fully now.

"Do you know how?"

Kakashi shrugged.

"The details are not readily available…"

Hell, they'd been made _classified_, beyond even his reach. And there were few secrets Kakashi could not ferret out in this village. The Hokage smirked, digging into a small pile of paperwork on a table, and handing it to the jounin. Kakashi took it, opening the folder and leafing through it. Part of his mind absently noted that he needed to look underneath the underneath a little more when it came to Sarutobi… Before his mind went slightly blank.

He looked up from the reports, his visible brow raised. The Hokage's smirk grew wider.

"Are you sure this Umino isn't over-stating things?" Kakashi asked.

"Granted, he sees Naruto as a little brother, but Iruka is not one to mince words or give false praise," the Hokage replied.

"You've read his reports on Sasuke and Sakura I take it?"

Kakashi nodded, blinking again.

"Two. Not one, but _two_ kinjutsu from that scroll. In one night." Kakashi shook his head and sighed.

"Well… I didn't see this coming. Especially not _that_ one…"

"He's been training almost non-stop for the last week with his Kage Bunshin and the… Other jutsu," Sarutobi spoke carefully.

"The legend has, understandably, terrified him."

The Third took a deep breath.

"If they pass… Try to help all three, Kakashi. Naruto in particular… That weapon of his… It won't be an easy burden to bear."

Kakashi snorted.

"I don't put a lot of stock into such legends, Hokage-sama… But, I'll see what the kid can do."

The Hokage nodded, and with that, Kakashi left in a flurry of leaves. Sarutobi looked at the carton of milk on the table and closed his eyes, a sad smile on his face.

"Kid has the lousiest luck…"

- - - - - -

Kakashi entered the classroom, a full three hours late. He scrutinized the three genin within, and raised an eyebrow.

The Uchiha was sitting near the window, fingers steepled, brooding, while the pink-haired kunoichi babbled happily at him about being on the same team. Uzumaki Naruto sat away from them, chin on his crossed arms, bored and looking at the chalkboard. All three turned to look at Kakashi, and he stared back thoughtfully.

"Hmm… My first impression of you three," Kakashi spoke simply. "… Is… I don't like you!"

Sasuke's face darkened, while Sakura facefaulted. Naruto glared.

"Right… Meet me on the roof, will you?"

He teleported up there, and soon enough all three genin trudged up the stairs to meet him, the sun shining cheerfully over them and the various roofs of Konoha scattered all around them. None of this mattered to the three genin as they sat down in front of Kakashi. Sakura sat in the middle between Naruto and Sasuke, edging closer to the brooding Uchiha away from the blond.

"Allright, let's start with some introductions. Your name, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams for the future."

Sakura blinked.

"Um, sensei? Shouldn't you go first, since we don't know anything about you?" Kakashi chuckled inside.

_Silly girl, thinking she's so smart…_

"I'm Hatake Kakashi. I have many likes and dislikes… Dreams? Well… I have many hobbies…"

The genin all looked depressed, and Kakashi inwardly smirked.

"Right then. Pinky, you're up first."

Sakura sat up a little straighter and smiled.

"I'm Haruno Sakura. My likes are…" Here she turned to Sasuke and blushed, before turning back.

"My dislikes…" She trailed off and glared at Naruto, who blinked back at her before she turned to face Kakashi again.

"My hobbies and dreams, well…" She turned to Sasuke and blushed, giggling a bit. Sasuke made no response, as Naruto hmphed and crossed his arms.

"And I hate Ino-pig!" She concluded passionately.

"Right…" Kakashi sighed.

_Swell… A fangirl…_ "You, the broody one. Go."

Sasuke glared at him, before snorting.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. I have many dislikes and few likes. I have no hobbies. As for dreams… Well… It's not so much a dream… But a desire to rebuild my clan… and kill a certain man…" Sakura blinked and gawked a bit at Sasuke, as Naruto also shot the Uchiha a strange look.

_An Avenger… Just as I expected,_ Kakashi thought. He turned at last to Naruto.

"And finally… You."

Naruto adjusted his headband and smiled.

"Um, I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like ramen, Iruka-sensei, and my friends. I dislike how long it takes for ramen to cook, and people who judge me without knowing me first. Hobbies…? Um, I guess training and gardening. Oh, and uh… My dream is to become _Hokage_!" Naruto stated. Sakura and Sasuke shot the blond curious expressions, which seemed almost _overused._

_So he's been acting weird all day, hm?_ Kakashi surmised.

"Right then… …you three, we're going to be doing some survival training tomorrow at training ground 7. You may not have known this, but the true Genin exam lies with the instructor, not with the academy. I will choose, tomorrow, whether you 3 pass or fail. Note that there is a 66.6 percent failure rate in this test, so there is a good chance that one, two, or even all three of you will be sent back to the academy. Oh, and don't eat breakfast…you'll only throw up."

Kakashi gave all three genin a slightly sadistic smile, before vanishing.

- - - - - - - -

The bell test had been used as a means to determine just which ninja had potential to see beyond the ordinary and thus prove themselves able to truly work in the dangerous world of the shinobi. Idiots did not last long here, nor did the self-centered or weak. Kakashi had learned the second aspect of the test _particularly_ well, and thus had a pretty good idea of how this test would go.

Naruto would attack first, the idiot, striking wildly and _maybe_ demonstrating some potential and then being promptly defeated. Sakura, being weak, would easily crumble to a simple illusion. And Sasuke, well… The rookie of the year he may be, but still no match for Kakashi.

Still, the Hokage _had_ indicated to him that Naruto needed help with his weapon… Time to see if it was everything it was cracked up to be. As Sakura and Sasuke vanished from sight, hiding and obviously looking for the chance to strike, Naruto stayed right where he was, kunai appearing in his hand.

"Well, you at least have the proper spirit," Kakashi stated, as Naruto charged with a shout. He reached into his pouch, and noted that Naruto froze, staring in worry at what he was pulling out. Kakashi smirked, and revealed… Icha Icha Paradise, volume three. Naruto appropriately face faulted.

"Hey! Aren't you going to take this seriously?" Naruto demanded.

Kakashi shook his head.

"Why should I? It's not like you have an actual chance at beating me."

Naruto growled, unconsciously holding his hand out as though to take up a weapon, even though there was already a kunai in his grip. Kakashi smirked as Naruto lunged for him, kicking, jumping, stabbing-

_His form is terrible,_ Kakashi reflected, dodging every blow Naruto threw at him. True, Naruto was much faster than he'd expected, making him put in a _little _more effort, but the boy's fighting style was still sloppy.

_It's as if he hasn't practiced it in _weeks…

"Come now… Is _this_ all you're capable of? And the Third Hokage had such high expectations of you, especially considering what you wield."

Naruto halted his attack, and leapt away, landing in a crouch. His wide-eyes were all he needed to confirm.

"H-He told you…?"

Kakashi felt a little confused about this reaction. He'd expected Naruto to use _that_ weapon right off the bat, driven out of irrational anger. But Naruto was purposely holding back…?

"Yes, and unless _you_ are going to take this seriously, then I won't either. But, even if you do, it's not like you'll succeed anyway. Perhaps you should just quit now?" Kakashi further prodded. He could easily pick out the confused expressions of the other genin, hidden as they were.

Kakashi smirked a little, his attention right back on Naruto.

Instead of rushing him in uncontrollable rage, Naruto stood up, a determined glare on his face.

"I don't give up… I'll _never_ give up… I don't care _how_ strong you are!"

With that, Naruto dropped his kunai and stretched out his hand. A controlled burst of light later… And Kakashi blinked.

It was a giant _key._ Kakashi hadn't known what to expect, but a literal giant _key…_ The 'blade' was silver in color, with crown-like teeth at the end. The guard was bright yellow and encased the hilt and Naruto's hand. From the very end, a chain with an unusual, three-circle-like charm dangled. Naruto turned and pointed the Keyblade at Kakashi, both hands taking the hilt as he fell into a rather unusual stance… Before leaping with the weapon in a lancing position, covering the distance to Kakashi easily.

The jounin deflected the strike with the steel plate in his glove, ignoring the minor cut through the fabric. Naruto however, was not done yet, and twisted in mid-air with the force of the deflection to swing down on Kakashi's head. Quick as a flash, the jounin switched out his _Icha Icha Paradise_ for a kunai, and deflected this blow, spinning around as Naruto landed a few meters away.

The blond launched himself at Kakashi again, swinging the Keyblade to his right and redirecting his path, before jumping into the air and swinging forward with the almost-comical weapon for Kakashi's shoulder.

Kakashi deflected it as Naruto swung the Keyblade (relative to his orientation) up, launching a kick at the white-haired jounin's chest. Kakashi blocked with his other arm, sending Naruto spinning at an angle to land on his feet and swing himself around the masked jounin, trying to strike from behind.

"Well…_This_ is a bit more interesting," Kakashi observed to Naruto, as he blocked the blond's next attack with his kunai held out behind him. Naruto pulled the Keyblade towards him, catching Kakashi's knife with the teeth of the key, while swinging his left foot forward to kick Kakashi in the back. Kakashi twirled away, dodging the strike.

Kakashi had wondered for a moment just how the boy could be doing so much better with just the Keyblade… Before it came to him and he smirked as he continued dueling the fast, agile, and perfectly dangerous strikes.

"I see you figured out the big advantage Kage Bunshin gives you, while training with it, hm?" Kakashi observed.

Naruto flew back, another strike deflected, and he landed, breathing a little harder than normal.

"What? What do you mean?" Naruto growled, gripping the Keyblade by the chain and spinning it as fast as he could over his head.

Once it had picked up sufficient momentum he let it fly in a twirling, deadly blur. Kakashi directed some chakra into his muscles as he threw his kunai, and the smaller, chakra-powered projectile easily knocked the larger weapon off course. Naruto had been charging behind the Keyblade, apparently to strike him bare-handed-

The Keyblade flashed back into Naruto's hands from mid-flight as he lunged for Kakashi's chest. The jounin was only mildly surprised and able to draw another kunai to parry the strike, but Kakashi had to admit-It wasn't a bad move.

"Let me guess… You created as many Kage Bunshin as you could, over the course of the week before the teams were picked, and you fought them with the Keyblade, for hours at a time," Kakashi surmised.

Naruto scowled and leapt forward again, swinging down at Kakashi in a hammer blow. Kakashi evaded again, and blocked Naruto's quick counterstrike.

"So? What of it?"

Kakashi sighed.

_No, he doesn't get it…_ Naruto lunged again, but this time he threw _himself_ forward, using the Keyblade as leverage. Naruto twisted forward in the air, hands settling into position to call his weapon once more, but _this_ time within the jounin's guard. Kakashi leapt back, quickly making a few handseals.

"_Doton: Tenchuu no Jutsu!"_

A pillar of earth leapt up beneath Naruto and sent him flying, crashing into the nearby pond with a tremendous splash. Kakashi smirked slightly beneath his mask. _He's gotten the memories of all the Kage Bunshin he's fought. Probably had them attack him enmasse in as many ways he could think of…_ If Naruto could make several dozen Kage Bunshin, at the very least, every day, he could have amassed hundreds of hours of training-Relatively speaking.

_It certainly wasn't _wasted, Kakashi further surmised, as a sopping wet Naruto emerged from the pond, deathglaring him. Still holding the Keyblade, Naruto held his fingers together in the ram seal around the yellow guard of the weapon.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

Six more Narutos appeared, all holding Keyblades. As one, they spun up their weapons and threw them, charging behind them. Kakashi easily dodged them all, and waited to see which Naruto would regain his weapon. The other Keyblades were merely copies, and lacked the abilities of the original. And when that Naruto did-

"GOTCHA!" A voice behind him yelled, and Kakashi's single eye widened as the Keyblade rematerialized in front of his chin, being pulled for a choke hold around his neck by two familiar hands.

The rest of the Narutos were charging for him, and his brief hesitation from surprise had let them leapt into striking range. The first fist flew for his face, as the Keyblade's dull part closed on his throat-

"AUGH!"

A quick replacement jutsu saw Naruto choking one of his own Kage Bunshins, while the others dog piled him.

"SHIT!

"AUGH!"

"DAMNIT!" The clones shouted, as the real Naruto slashed through them all, dispelling them into poofs of smoke.

He was breathing hard, and looking around, eyes narrowed. Kakashi smirked a bit, as the blond's eyes obviously caught sight of a bell lying beneath a tree. It was most obviously a trap…

"YEEAAAHHH!"

Which Naruto fell for, hook, line, and sinker. He dangled by his feet, swinging in the rope trap like a windchime. Kakashi easily walked up and bent down, retrieving the bell.

"Did you really think I'd be that stupid?" Kakashi asked, amused.

Naruto scowled at him, summoning the Keyblade once more and trying to cut the rope. Kakashi sighed.

"Uh, uh, uh… Any more usage of the Keyblade in this test, and you automatically fail," Kakashi tsked him. Naruto glared back.

"First, you tell me to go all out, and _now,_ you're forbidding me? That's _stupid_!"

"No, because going all out is not the point of this test," Kakashi sighed, and Naruto blinked, the Keyblade vanishing from his hand. He grimaced, his version of a thoughtful expression appearing on his-

Kakashi quickly used the replacement jutsu again, just in time to avoid a barrage of shuriken and kunai from Sasuke. He shook his head as Naruto continued to dangle from the tree, his surprise at Kakashi's exit replaced by that thoughtful look again.

Kakashi sighed, and decided to check up on his other 'charges'. He didn't hold out a lot of hope for Sakura, or the Uchiha, at figuring out the test, but at least Naruto seemed to be thinking it out. If the other two were smart (and he knew they were), and they were listening (and he knew they were doing this too), then the hint should be just enough for them to figure it out.

Why he gave them a hint, Kakashi wasn't sure. Maybe the fact that he'd been so completely _wrong_ about Naruto's abilities. Maybe because he felt he needed a change in his routine. Kakashi didn't really know.

He'd have to wait and see.

- - - - - - -

Thirty minutes later, Naruto had finally gotten out of the trap and set out across the training field, looking about himself carefully. Kakashi frowned. He'd already easily dispatched Sakura with an elementary genjutsu (he hadn't even had to _hit_ her, she _fainted_ at the sight of a bloody, mangled Sasuke), and Sasuke was buried up to his neck thanks to his Headhunter Jutsu. Naruto finally came across Sakura, who was woozily getting to her feet.

"Hey, Sakura-chan? I was thinking that-"

"Naruto! Stop bothering me! Don't you remember that this is a _test_, and we're supposed to each get a bell or we _fail?_ Maybe _that's_ why you failed three times-You _enjoyed _it!" Sakura snarled, stalking away from him.

Naruto's face held a hurt expression, before he tried again.

"But Sakura-chan, um… Look. I got pretty close to beating him a few times, and Sasuke, well, he did _about_ as well as me, so I was thinking we could all-"

"Is Sasuke-kun allright? Was he hurt? Oh no, he needs me! Sasuke-kun, I'm coming!" Sakura shouted, rushing in a random direction and leaving Naruto alone, staring after her.

"… Team up and beat him up to make him pass us," he sighed.

Kakashi smirked a little at _that._ A few moments later, Sakura's shriek filled the air, and he knew she'd seen Sasuke "decapitated". Naruto made to go after her, but then the alarm went off.

"Time's up," Kakashi said behind Naruto, and the blond jumped a little. He turned around and smiled nervously. Kakashi sighed.

"None of you got any bells…"

"Yeah," Naruto replied, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

The jounin turned and walked for the clearing, Naruto following.

- - - - - - - -

Sakura was little worse for wear, just looking frazzled while tied to the log, while Sasuke simply looked dirty and pissed off. Naruto was sitting next to Sakura's log, looking curiously at Kakashi.

"Well, the good news is, only Naruto has to go back to the academy," Kakashi spoke at last, leading Sakura to smiling brightly and Sasuke to frown, but still shoot Naruto a curious look. Naruto sighed miserably.

"Sakura and Sasuke… You should quit being ninjas entirely!"

The shock was evident on all three ninja's faces as Kakashi continued his tirade.

"Sasuke, you struck out entirely on your own to get the bells and didn't even _consider_ asking for help, thinking the others would only get in your way. Sakura, when Naruto asked you to team up with him and get the bells, you were too focused on Sasuke to listen! Naruto was the only one who thought of teaming up to get the bells, even_after_ he'd been beaten and trapped."

Kakashi shook his head at Sasuke and Sakura.

"What you did _mocks_ what being a ninja is all about. What you are are spoiled _brats_ who couldn't see the _true_ point of the exercise!"

"B-But sensei! You said that to pass, we had to get a bell, and there's only two!" Sakura pointed out, fidgeting against the log.

Kakashi sighed.

"That_was the point._ It was supposed to create dissention in the ranks. It was designed to see if you could put your individual interests aside and work towards the _greater good._ As a _team._" Kakashi shook his head.

"As it stands, _none_ of you _deserve_ to be ninja!"

Sasuke rushing him was completely expected, as Naruto and Sakura just gawped. Easily Kakashi caught Sasuke's arm and spun him around, holding him to the ground with just one foot.

"Mmmph!" Sasuke snarled around the mouthful of dirt he'd just eaten, and Kakashi sighed.

"A very good example-Sakura! Kill Naruto or Sasuke dies!"

Sakura's hand almost instinctively twitched for her weapons pouch, bound as she was, and Naruto blinked at her. The kid looked rather betrayed, Kakashi surmised.

"See, this is what can happen on a mission if you _don't_ work_together._ That is why we put you into _three_ man teams. So you can support eachother to _accomplish_ the mission."

Kakashi turned to the stone memorial behind him, and stared at it for a long time. He let Sasuke go, who tried to walk back over to the logs with as much dignity as he could muster.

"On this stone are the names of ninja who lost their lives on missions,_including_ my best friends," he spoke solemnly. Kakashi turned back around.

"However… Thanks to Naruto, I'm willing to give you all _one_ more chance at it. Sasuke, Naruto-You can eat the lunches in the bentos. However, don't give Sakura _any."_

"Why?" Naruto asked. Kakashi glared.

"Because out of all of you, she did not even make the effort to _try_ to get the bells. My word is law on this. If you give her food, you all fail, got it?" With Sasuke and Naruto's nods, Kakashi left… And observed them from the treeline. Sasuke and Naruto took their lunches… But Naruto hesitated at hearing Sakura's stomach rumble. She blushed furiously.

"Hey Sakura-chan? Here, have some," Naruto said, looking around carefully.

Sakura blinked.

"Wh-What?! If you do that, we all fail."

Naruto shrugged with a smile.

"I forgot to not eat breakfast, so I'll be fine. We're going to need you at full strength, you know?"

Sakura blinked, and gaped even more when Sasuke held out his lunch for her.

"Sasuke-kun? You too?"

"I won't have you being a liability," he said flatly, and Sakura smiled at him.

"Thank you, Sasuke-kun! … Naruto," she added, a little hesitantly. They began to feed her. Kakashi sighed.

_Well… There goes all my free time…_

- - - - - - - - -

The theatrics had been fun to do, Kakashi later admitted to himself, but the light of understanding showing up in the genin's eyes… Well…

It wasn't so bad, he decided, being a teacher. After telling them when they'd start missions as Team 7, he'd departed, as Sakura and Sasuke headed off for their homes. Naruto, on the other hand, headed for a training field nearer his home, and Kakashi followed.

Naruto stopped in the middle of the clearing, sighed, and summoned the Keyblade. He looked it over, his expression that of sober, reluctant acceptance. Kakashi shook his head from the foliage that concealed him, his curiosity about the Uzumaki boy and these changes becoming almost unbearable.

_Screw it,_ he decided. He was Naruto's sensei. He could sure as hell drop in and ask him about this weapon of his.

"Naruto." Naruto jumped and turned around, glaring at him. Kakashi did an eye-smiled back.

"Kakashi-sensei! Do you have to do that?"

"I think everyone's life needs some surprises in it from time to time," he cheekily replied. Naruto grimaced and mumbled under his breath, turning to head for another part of the field:

"No more for me, please."

Kakashi frowned beneath his mask.

"Naruto… I have to admit, I underestimated you considerably."

Naruto turned around and blinked. He smiled a little, some of that familiar devil-may-care attitude emerging.

"Yeah, people do that a lot," he replied with a small laugh. Kakashi crossed his arms and adopted a far more serious expression.

"That weapon… It's the cause of your recent changes, isn't it?"

Naruto sighed, holding out the weapon… Before turning and throwing it as hard as he could into the woods. A few seconds later, it reappeared, quick as a flash, back in his hands. The blond sighed.

"Yeah… All I… Wanted to do was save Iruka-sensei… And instead, I end up with this thing."

Naruto glared at the Keyblade.

"Isn't the Kyuubi enough? I mean, people _hate_ me enough for it! And now-_now-_I've got a weapon capable of destroying whole _worlds_ if I'm not careful. Why me? I didn't _want_ _any_ of this damnit!"

Kakashi sighed.

"… Maybe its better you start at the beginning," Kakashi suggested. Naruto turned around, blinking curiously.

"Since I'm your sensei now, it will help me help you better if I know everything," the jounin elaborated. Naruto nodded, and sat down in the grass, his gaze on the Keyblade as though both wanting to be rid of it, and beseeching it for strength. After casting a privacy jutsu around them Kakashi sat at well, all attention on one of his first, and possibly unluckiest, students.

"It… It began when I stole the scroll…"

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and extended the introduction scene, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as some grammar mistakes._

_Update 4/5/07:__ Due to my beta-reader, I've changed most of the Japanese dialogue in this fic to the English translation. From now on, only honorifics, jutsus, names, and a few catchphrases will be in Japanese._

_Yes, this is a Kingdom Hearts/Naruto crossover fic. No, I'm not abandoning my other Naruto fic, just taking a break from it before the writer's block suffocates me. No, this will not be a Super!Naruto fic. Just a Naruto-with-the-weight-of-Destiny-on-him fic. A slightly-better-than-canon Naruto in certain ways, yes, but he's not going to be owning Itachi any time soon._

_No, there will be no yaoi in this fic (aside from Orochimaru's preferences, but then he's sick and messed up so it's probably not what you might be looking for). Yes, there will be romantic pairings but as I suck at romance they will merely be hinted at and I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions._

_Doton: Tenchuu no Jutsu means "Earth Style: Pillar Holding up Heaven Technique". I thought that Kakashi, respecting Naruto a little more this time around, wouldn't use the "Thousand Years of Death"._

_Yes, this is a total AU of Naruto and Kingdom Hearts, but no, we're not going to any anime worlds (aside from Miyazaki films) or anything else outside Disney/Square Enix. _

_And I refuse to call Square Enix "Squeenix". Just my opinion that it sounds retarded._

_Anyway, this is the first story I've ever written an outline for beforehand, so if writer's block catches me feel free to ask to see the outline and prod me into writing the next part. The outline is flexible to a certain degree, so feel free to suggest things! And please, review! _

_Preview for Chapter Two:_

"_**The closer to light you walk, the longer your shadow… But don't be afraid. Don't stop walking…"**_

"_And… If I do? Stop walking, I mean?" Naruto asked, his voice wavering only a little._

"_**Then the darkness will consume not only you, but everything you hold dear…"**_


	2. Deep Dive

_**Voice of Destiny**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Uzumaki Naruto, age twelve, leapt through the trees of the forest at breakneck speeds, a heavy scroll bouncing along with him every branch of the way. His eyes were wide and his teeth gritted in agitation.

"_You are the nine-tailed fox! The demon who killed Iruka's parents!"_

_No… It's not true! It's not true! _

"_No Naruto, don't listen to him! It's forbidden!"_

_Forbidden? Why? Why? Is this why everyone hates me? Because I'm the demon?_

As much as Naruto tried to deny it, Mizuki's declaration made sense. His whisker marks, the hatred of the villagers, the social isolation…

For God's sake, his _birthday_ was on the same day the Kyuubi was supposedly killed! Naruto felt tears at the corners of his eyes, as he stopped, clutching a tree branch under him as he panted.

_I'm a demon… The demon that killed Iruka-sensei's parents… That killed…_

Naruto gulped, and continued breathing shakily. He looked up and saw through a gap in the foliage, into a clearing. Two figures fought in the dappled moonlight.

_Iruka-sensei!_

Naruto leapt forward, watching the two fight, and as they came into better focus he could hear more of their conversation.

"-on't you get it, Naruto's just like me!" Mizuki laughed.

"He wants the scroll for his own vengeance and power! That's how demons are! He'll use it to destroy everything!"

Naruto growled at this, as Iruka, leaning against a tree, glared back before responding.

"You're right," Iruka got out, breathing hard. Naruto felt ice fall into the pit of his stomach, and he shook in grief and anger.

_So that's it… Iruka-sensei… He LIED to me, like every other person in this village! He thinks I'm a demon! He-!_

"That _is_ how demons are, but Naruto is not the fox! He's nothing like a demon! He works hard, puts his everything into succeeding. And yes, he sometimes fails, and yes, everyone jumps on him, but he gets right back up and keeps trying. He never returns hatred with hatred, he never gives up, and every time he puts his whole heart into it! That is what separates him from the Kyuubi! He's nothing like it!"

Mizuki tensed, looking as though he'd try to kill Iruka right there… But instead he began laughing mockingly.

"_Nothing_ like the demon? Ha! I bet you right now, he's running away with that scroll full of secrets for his own use! The power within it… How could the Kyuubi resist?"

Naruto gripped the tree branch more tightly, teeth bared in a snarl.

_That bastard… I'll show him…!_

Naruto made to form the seal for Kage Bunshin… But paused. He cursed mentally.

_Damnit, I could barely make ONE clone with this jutsu! How is one more me going to help here? I need something stronger! I need something to stop him! But what…?_

Naruto quickly pulled the scroll out again, sudden inspiration as he opened it. At the very bottom of the scroll was a jutsu he couldn't begin to make heads or tails of, but it required only his signature in blood to work it. He'd ignored it before because he needed to learn how to make Bunshins to pass the Academy Exam. It mentioned something about a 'dive', a 'trial to gain strength' from… It was better than nothing, Naruto decided, biting his thumb and quickly signing his name, pumping chakra into it as the instructions dictated.

The letters of his name signed in blood began to glow bright white, and Naruto cried out as they flashed, blinding him. He blinked a few times… Before feeling like he was falling, falling in an endless black void…

_Splash!_

Water was all around him, and Naruto waved his arms and kicked his feet as he kept sinking. His desperate flailing caused him to cast off his goggles, ignored as he tried to right himself but he just kept descending, deeper and deeper…

After what felt like ages to his burning lungs, Naruto felt the top of his head hit solid ground. Suddenly he collapsed, the feeling of being surrounded by water vanishing, and he breathed deeply of air once more.

"What… The _hell_…?" Naruto muttered, rolling over onto his stomach and pushing himself up to a sitting position.

Frowning at the darkness that seemed to cover everything but himself, the blond reached out a fist and tapped the surface he'd landed on. The sound echoed, like he'd hit a huge glass pane of some sort. Naruto stood up, eyes closed in a characteristic thoughtful expression for him.

"Hey! Is anyone there? Hello?" Naruto called out.

His voice echoed, which seemed to tell Naruto that he might be in some kind of cave…

_But how did I get here? What kind of jutsu is this anyway?_

Naruto took a cautious step forward, and when his foot still landed on solid… Whatever, he took another.

"_The hell?!"_ Naruto shouted, as his foot was pushed back by birds emerging as one from the darkness, like they'd been so tightly packed beneath his feet that they had felt like solid, unfeathery ground.

As more and more birds took flight, a yellow light grew, and Naruto abruptly realized that the surface he was standing on was illuminated. More birds flew off, the light grew brighter, and Naruto could make out the image on the platform.

_Some… Girl in a weird dress… What's with those guys in the circles? Their noses are huge,_ Naruto thought, walking a little less cautiously around the yellow-tinged platform. He walked up to the edge of it, and looked down, the black abyss all he could see. Rummaging around in his pocket, he triumphantly produced a coin and dropped it. He tilted his head, trying to hear it hit the ground…

"I don't think I want to jump off," he decided, after waiting a good five minutes to hear something. He backed off from the edge, and looked around the platform again.

"Some jutsu _this_ is," Naruto muttered, "Iruka-sensei might already be _dead_ now, and it's all because I couldn't do anything! _Damnit!"_

_**Do not worry. Time does not pass here,**_ a toneless voice spoke.

Naruto blinked, and looked around.

"Um… Hello? Who are you?"

_**I am what Is and what Will Be.**_

"… That's… Not helpful at all!" Naruto shouted irritably.

"Hey, whoever you are… Do you know how I can get back to the forest? I need to help my sensei!"

_**You can only leave here if you pass the trial.**_

"Look, I don't have time for this!"

_**You can only help your sensei if you pass the trial,**_ the voice repeated.

Naruto groaned.

"Allright… Fine… Let's just get this done as quickly as possible! I need to help Iruka-sensei!"

A sword, a shield, and a staff all appeared in front of Naruto, hovering in mid-air.

_**There are three paths to choose from. Do you choose the path of strength, the warrior?**_

Here, a light shining on the sword seemed to increase just enough to indicate it.

_**The path of defense, the guardian?**_

The shield was illuminated.

_**Or the path of wisdom, the mystic?**_

The staff was illuminated, and Naruto grimaced.

"Do I have to choose?"

_**Do you surrender only at the first test?**_

"What?! Naruto Uzumaki _never_ surrenders, stupid Voice! Um…"

Naruto tried to pick. Truthfully, his first instinct had been to go for the sword-It might help stop Mizuki, right? But Iruka needed protection. So maybe the shield… The staff though, it seemed to radiate some kind of power, something Naruto couldn't _name…_

"Um… Er…"

_Damnit, just choose one, _Naruto thought to himself. The shield was nearest, so Naruto grabbed it. The sword and staff vanished, leaving Naruto alone with his choice of weapon.

_**You have chosen the path of service and self-sacrifice.**_

"Yeah, great, can we move on?" Naruto shouted.

As though offended, the platform beneath him shattered, leaving Naruto to fall into the abyss.

"_WAAAAAAAHHHHHH-!"_

_THUD!_

"Ow…"

Naruto grimaced and rubbed the back of his head, before pulling himself up into a sitting position. This platform's drawing was of another woman in a weird dress, blue-tinged where the previous one had been yellow. Naruto looked at the edges, and noted the cartoonish-style mice in little circles.

"This is probably the _weirdest_ dream I've ever had," Naruto complained, getting up to his feet.

_**Now is not the time for complaint. This is the second test. **_

Little black puddles appeared on the platform, _oozing_ for him. Naruto stepped back a little, as they began to rise up and take shape.

"The hell are these things?" Naruto shouted.

_**These are expressions of darkness, which lie within all things**_ The things now looked like little men with large bug-like yellow eyes and antenna. Jerkily they moved for him, tiny clawed fingers reaching out for Naruto. Out of instinct Naruto pulled a kunai from his leg pouch and threw it at one of the things, but it passed right through it.

"What the-?"

_**Normal weapons will not work against the darkness… The power to stop them must come from within…**_

Naruto grimaced as he dodged a few of the shadow creatures, leaping high over their heads with his ninja skills. However, more and more began to emerge, and Naruto soon found himself with nowhere to jump to. He looked down at the shield… And looked back at the hordes of creatures, the voice's words replaying in his mind.

_Within, right? Okay, let's see if _this_ does anything!_ With that, Naruto focused chakra into the shield… Immediately it changed shaped and with a burst of light, the blond ninja found himself holding the staff he'd seen floating on the previous platform. One of the creatures leapt for him out of the swarm, and with a swing of the blue rod it was rendered dust.

"Now _that's_ more like it!" Naruto shouted, leaping forward and slashing through the swarm.

His chakra-augmented agility, while poor by his peer's standards, easily let him finish off the creatures.

"Ha! That wasn't' so hard!"

_**Your heart is strong. Few have made it past this test.**_

Naruto considered the staff.

"So, why the staff? Why not the sword?"

_**When you choose a path to take, you also give up another. Your conscious choice was of the guardian, while your unconscious chose the mystic. To have these, you gave up the power of the warrior.**_

Naruto frowned.

"Wait… Isn't the path of the mystic, er… Wisdom?"

_**Yes.**_

Naruto was prone to brag, true, but even he was aware of how much he'd failed. And what he missed, forgot, and had no idea about. Usually he'd brush it off with a loud exclamation, but here…

"Why wisdom though? I mean…" The blond grimaced.

"My grades make me… Last in my class."

_**True wisdom is not measured by tests or grades. Within you lies the desire to learn, to understand, and to grow. It has sought an outlet for so long… And here it is, before you.**_ Naruto swung the staff around a little, and smiled at how easily wielding it came.

_Maybe I'm not such a deadlast after all. I'd like to see Shikamaru try to get through this, ha!_

_**However, within you lies darkness as well as light,**_ the voice went on.

Naruto blinked and looked up, as though trying to pinpoint where it was coming from.

"You… You mean… The Kyuubi?"

_**Not only the demon, but darkness found in all beings-Hate, sorrow, greed, fear, ignorance, anger, pride. Having these is part of existence, but there are those who let the darkness inside them overwhelm the light. Those creatures you slew were such examples.**_ Naruto gulped, eyeing the spotless mosaic underneath his feet.

"You mean… Those things…?"

_**Do not mourn them,**_ the voice said, almost comfortingly. _**They were not true beings any longer, but manifestations of people's darkness. They became so steeped in their own darkness that it took on a will of it's own-To find more hearts and corrupt them as their own were.**_

Naruto felt the grip on his staff tighten.

"Like… Mizuki?"

_**The one you speak of has let his darkness overwhelm him, though his transformation is far more subtle. The worst monsters are those who do not appear as such. And not all beasts are filled with darkness within.**_

Naruto nodded marginally.

"Okay… What's next?"

_**The last test…**_ The platform, instead of shattering, seemed to produce mini-platforms in a long set of stairs leading up. Naruto shrugged, and hopped along, taking the steps two at a time. This platform, he immediately noticed, was… _Different._

A tall, blonde woman, long hair curling down past her shoulders, stood surrounded by black thorny vines. In three little circles above her, three odd-looking women in matching tall, pointed-hats tied under their chins held expressions of worry. In the background, a menacing woman with horns stood, a single hand raised. Naruto gulped, and saw a doorway on the other side. It shone brightly, and Naruto was forced to shield his eyes.

"What… What do I do?"

_**The closer to light you walk, the longer your shadow… But don't be afraid. Don't stop walking.**_

"And… If I do? Stop walking, I mean?" Naruto asked, his voice wavering only a little.

_**Then the darkness will consume not only you, but everything you hold dear.**_

Naruto took a deep breath, and began walking forward, the staff swinging slightly in his left hand. As he neared the center of the platform, he paused as the _feeling_ of a presence growing behind him. The blond turned and gaped, stepping back, as his own_ shadow_ grew.

The form it took was familiar to Naruto. He'd never known how or why, until now, why his nightmares had sometimes held the image of a gigantic fox with nine tails. But here, his shadow took the form of the great demon, glowing red eyes and whiskers leering at him from the darkness.

Terror filled Naruto's chest, icy cold and paralyzing. He shook as the raw killing intent of this being washed over him, _mocking_ him, and he fell to his bottom, shivering.

"How… How… Hello? Voice? Hello? Hell-GAH!"

Naruto rolled just in time as a massive tail slammed down where he had sat moments before. He rolled up to a standing position, struggling to fight the suffocating terror.

"**Why do you try?"** The shadow asked, it's glowing red mouth curling in to a sneer.

"**Why do you continue? Your life has no meaning… Your dreams are **_**nonsense.**_** You are weak and foolish and can barely stand before me. So why?**"

Images of Naruto's mistreatments, his failures, the mocking laughter of his peers, the derisive snorts of villagers, the sad faces of the Hokage, Iruka-sensei…

_Iruka-sensei…_

"_Naruto is not the fox! He's nothing like a demon! He works hard, puts his everything into succeeding. And yes, he sometimes fails, and yes, everyone jumps on him, but he gets right back up and keeps trying. He never returns hatred with hatred, he never gives up, and every time he puts his whole heart into it! That is what separates him from the Kyuubi! He's nothing like it!"_

Naruto shook, and grit his teeth, looking up at the menace towering above him.

"Because… So long as _one_ person believes in me… _One_ person cares about me… I'll do _anything_, and _everything_ I can to protect that person!"

Naruto snarled, gripping the staff in both hands.

"You can knock me down like all the rest! You can insult me, attack me, mock me, beat me into a pulp! But I will never, _ever,_ give up! You can't scare me into quitting! You'll have to _kill me first!"_

Naruto charged, leaping to avoid a tail, before twisting in mid-air to avoid another. As though receiving cues he spun out of the way of another swinging tail and landed on another, leap up and thrusting his staff right at the Shadow Fox's wide eyes.

"YAH!" Naruto bellowed, striking the demon across the nose, before spinning like a top to land another blow before falling back. Naruto grabbed onto one of the shadow's waving tails and swung himself back up. The fox fell back as Naruto continued raining blows on its head, it's tails moving too slowly to intercept the orange-clad ninja.

"**INSECT!"** The beast roared, falling back off the platform entirely into the shadows from one last strike in the snout. Naruto fell back, landing in a sprawled heap on the edge of the woman's dress. He shook his head of any dizziness… Before the whole platform began to tilt.

"Oh shit!" Naruto yelled, and pulled out a kunai with which to try and slow his descent, but it scraped uselessly against the hard material. Naruto barely got a grip on the edge of the disk with one hand, his staff clutched tightly in the other.

"Damn… damn…" he muttered, sweating beading on his forehead. He felt a gust of wind blow down on him, and he dared to trace the sensation's path.

A vast, glowing vortex had appeared far below him, being produced by the Shadow Fox's gaping jaws. Naruto's grip loosened, little by little, as he kicked his legs in an attempt to gain some footing-

"SHIT!" Naruto cursed, slipping off the platform entirely and falling for the vortex. The dark demon's red eyes narrowed in victory, which Naruto noticed and returned with a glare. Answering another strange, unconscious cue, he pulled back the arm holding his staff, as though winding up to pitch a baseball, and hurled his weapon into the maelstrom.

_KABOOM!_ Naruto's vision was stolen, but he felt himself falling again, only this time to land on a hard, familiar surface. His fingers tightened around the staff, and he got up. The Shadow Fox lay before him, it's head on the platform in front of him, it's tails limp. Wearily it looked up at Naruto.

"**You… How…?"**

Naruto screamed a battle cry, and rushed the shadow, leaping straight for its head. He took his staff and rammed it right between the monster's eyes. It roared in agony, light erupting from it's head and quickly spreading, dissolving, eroding the monster away, until nothing remained.

The triumphant blond fell back from his leap, flipping backwards… Landing face first on the platform.

"OW! SON OF A-!"

The blond cursed, pushing himself up by his arms and holding his tender nose. Noticing his shadow, again, before him, he poked it once with the staff. Naruto breathed a deep sigh of relief as it did nothing, and clumsily got to his feet.

_**You have succeeded.**_

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Naruto muttered.

_**That was a foe only you could have defeated,**_ the voice said. _**I had no place in it. **_

"So… Can I save Iruka-sensei now?" The blond demon-container asked.

_**Yes, but be warned. This power is yours, and can never be given back. If you keep this trial's lessons in your heart, if you stay true to yourself and the light within, you will do great things with it.**_

Naruto paused at the threshold of the door of light. He took a deep breath.

"And if I fall into darkness…?"

The light increased in intensity, filling his vision and mind, as the voice's last words reached him.

_**You know the answer already… Keybearer…**_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Iruka struggled to get back up, but the wounds in his legs and back bled heavily. He felt dizzy, and his vision was slightly clouding. Mizuki's grin was all too clear though.

"Well, goodbye Iruka. Don't worry, you'll be seeing your _demon_ student soon enough," the silver-haired man, once his friend, laughed mockingly. With a burst of chakra the giant shuriken in his hand began to spin like a buzzsaw, and Mizuki rushed forward. Iruka grit his teeth, determinedly staring his death in the face as a true shinobi.

_Naruto… I'm sorry…_

As though summoned from his thoughts, the orange clad boy in question appeared in front of him. His eyes widened, his voice tried to yell out a warning…

A flash of light and Mizuki was flying back. Over Naruto's shoulder Iruka could see the anger and shock in the traitor's face.

"YOU!"

Naruto snarled, gripping his weapon in both hands. A moment passed where he looked over the weapon.

_Keybearer, huh… Well, least the title fits,_ Naruto thought wryly. Despite its almost ridiculous appearance, Naruto could feel the raw power the weapon emitted, a power that seemed to echo in his chest.

_No… Not my chest… My heart…_

_**This is the Keyblade… Your heart's power given form.**_

Naruto blinked, a bit confused at the Voice popping back up in the "real world."

"N-Naruto!"

Naruto shook his head free of distraction and swung forward, parrying Mizuki's thrown giant shuriken and sending it spinning off into the dark trees. Mizuki himself snarled at Naruto.

"What-What-_What the hell is that?!"_

Naruto smirked, before forming the ram seal in front of the hilt of the weapon.

"Hope you're watching, Iruka-sensei… This is for graduation," he said calmly, never minding Iruka's gawk. The blond took a deep breath.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

At once the clearing was filled with Narutos, all with Keyblades, and all glaring at an increasingly pale Mizuki. The original raised his weapon up over his head.

"CHARGE!"

And the last thing Mizuki would remember from this night was a flood of ninja in orange, wielding giant keys that they proceeded to hit him with. A lot.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Iruka could not help staring at the orange-clad blond, giant key-shaped weapon leaning against his shoulder, walking calmly up to him. Behind him, a beaten Mizuki lay, covered in gashes and bruises so numerous he looked more the victim of a stampede of bulls instead of a boy.

A boy with a Jounin-level jutsu at his command.

A boy wielding a weapon that Iruka had only seen mentioned in ancient legends.

"Iruka-sensei? You okay?"

Iruka nodded, popping a soldier pill into his mouth. Using a _very_ basic medical jutsu, he ran a glowing hand over the worse of his injuries. Naruto knelt next to him, giant-key-weapon still laying across his shoulder. He looked at his sensei in concern.

"You got pretty beat up, Iruka-sensei… I'm sorry," Naruto said.

"I tried to find a jutsu to help you with, but…" Iruka smiled at the blond, who looked uncharacteristically melancholy.

"You… Got that… Whatever-it-is… From the scroll?" Iruka asked. Naruto nodded.

"Keyblade. Yeah, and Kage Bunshin too…"

Naruto trailed off, wincing. Iruka shook his head and clapped Naruto on the shoulder, smiling when Naruto's eyes rose to meet his.

"You did very well, Naruto… I'm very, _very_ proud of you…"

Naruto smiled back-Softer and more subdued than what Iruka had remembered out of his student… But it was still Naruto.

"Now then," Iruka went on, getting to his feet and waving off an extended hand from the blond, "close your eyes."

Naruto blinked, and then shrugged as he complied. He felt fabric descend onto his forehead, and the ends of a bandanna be tied around the back of his head. He grinned, and opened his eyes to a beaming Iruka, the rising sun's first rays giving his teacher an ethereal glow.

"You, Naruto, have proven yourself a ninja of Konoha, through and through," he said, paternal pride in his voice. Naruto felt tears begin to gather at the corners of his eyes, but he fought them back, instead moving forward and wrapping his sensei up in a hug, which was returned.

Naruto, however, felt the Keyblade in his grip still, and a frown came onto his face. Iruka, pulling back a little, saw the change in the blond's expression and frowned as well.

"Naruto?"

The boy ninja released the hug entirely, turning a bit at an angle to Iruka and studying the Keyblade.

"Iruka-sensei… I think we need to see the Hokage…"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Observing the events as they unfolded through his crystal ball, the Hokage smirked wryly as he read Naruto's lips.

_That you do, Naruto… That you do…_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as some grammar mistakes._

_Update 4/5/07:__ Due to my beta-reader, I've changed most of the Japanese dialogue in this fic to the English translation. From now on, only honorifics, jutsus, names, and a few catchphrases will be in Japanese._

_Just so you guys know, this is still a "flashback" Naruto is having with Kakashi._

I know the Deep Dive thing didn't happen exactly as it did in the first KH game. It's not supposed to. I do hope I did the battle against the Shadow Fox with enough detail to not render it cheesy. As always, please share your thoughts and comments by reviewing-It's the only way I know how the story is going over after all.

_Preview for Chapter Three:_

"_I-I've n-never seen an-anything like it… Wh-what is it, N-N-Naruto-kun?"_

"_Um… Guess you could call it a family heirloom, heh…"_


	3. Hikari

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

The Sandaime's tower had never seemed so… _Intimidating_ before to Naruto, as he and Iruka walked towards the double doors, ANBU flanking them. Iruka held the forbidden scroll, while Naruto still held the Keyblade, leaning back on his shoulder. Though their faces were hidden by their trademark masks, Naruto could tell that they were staring at him. There was no killing intent (and growing up in a village where most of the inhabitants hated you tended to make you aware of that kind of thing), but definitely a general uneasiness in the air.

_Maybe because a kid who didn't even pass the academy exams got past them all,_ Naruto thought, and smirked a bit before the double doors opened and he and his teacher walked inside.

The Third Hokage was behind his desk, fingers steepled before him. He surveyed both with an impassive expression. Iruka gingerly handed the scroll over, and the Hokage's face finally broke into a small smile.

"Mizuki tricked Naruto into stealing the scroll for him," Iruka began, but the Hokage held up a hand for silence.

"I know most of the particulars of this night… So, I'll let you ask some questions now. Naruto?"

Naruto grimaced, and rubbed the back of his head with his free hand nervously.

"Old Man… Why didn't you ever tell me I was the Kyuubi?"

The Hokage chuckled a bit, causing Naruto to glare.

"Hey! This isn't funny, Old Man!"

"Naruto, I'm _laughing_ because of how far this stupidity has run," the Hokage sighed, shaking his head.

"Naruto, you are _not_ the Kyuubi, you merely contain it."

Naruto blinked, and turned to Iruka, who sighed.

"I know that you were told that the Fourth Hokage died twelve years ago killing the Kyuubi… I even taught that. But, the truth is that while the Fourth Hokage was indeed powerful, even he was not strong enough to kill the Nine Tails."

Sarutobi nodded.

"A demon like the Kyuubi cannot be truly killed, because it is simply not designed to die. So, the Yondaime instead created a sealing jutsu that would seal the Kyuubi's soul and power away, bound to a human soul."

Naruto gawked, and unconsciously ran his hand down his stomach.

"You mean… The seal that shows up whenever I mold chakra…?"

Sarutobi nodded gravely, and smiled in a paternal way.

"In truth, it was probably the most brilliant invention the Fourth ever came up with. The Shiki Fujin is a prison, that contains the soul and chakra of the Fox and binds it to yours. When you die, the Kyuubi dies, and thus the threat is gone forever. However, you are only mildly influenced by it's presence."

Naruto rubbed his cheek.

"Like my whiskers?"

Sarutobi nodded.

"And, I suspect, your stamina and fast healing. Have you noticed Naruto that not once have you ever gotten sick? That injuries that take weeks to heal for others take only days for you? The Fourth intended that-He designed the seal to give you the most benefit of having the Kyuubi within you."

Naruto frowned.

"Except for the hatred of the villagers," he muttered. Iruka frowned as well, and Sarutobi sighed.

"The Fourth had hoped that the village would see you as its savior-You keep the Fox from rampaging, and the advantages it offers you give you great potential as a ninja. But, to them you are only a reminder of what the Kyuubi took from them, the terror, the death…"

Naruto sighed, and looked at the Keyblade.

"And this thing?"

Sarutobi smiled.

"The Keyblade… Of all who have attempted to use _Moguru no Yuushuu_, you are among the first to come out of the trance without becoming a demon."

Iruka gawked and Naruto blinked.

"A-A-A _demon?!"_

Sarutobi smirked.

"For years we thought that _Moguru no Yuushuu_ was a transformation jutsu, taking the soul out of the body and deliberately encasing it in the shell of a dark beast, so it was made forbidden. It is likely Mizuki was stealing the scroll for Orochimaru to get that jutsu."

"Then why was it so easy for me to get?" Naruto asked. He blinked at the incredulous expression on the Hokage's face.

"What? I know that the ANBU should have caught me. Hell, _you_ caught me, and I was only able to escape because of Sexy no-"

"_Ahem,_ yes, well," Sarutobi coughed, hiding a mild blush.

"It was mainly because I told the ANBU to let you into the tower whenever you needed to."

Naruto looked down at the ground, immensely disappointed.

"Oh…"

The Hokage smiled slightly.

"But enough of that… Tell me what happened while you used the _Moguru no Yuushuu."_

Naruto nodded, and quickly summarized his experience, from the voice to the Shadow Kitsune. Iruka remained silent, eyes full of concern when Naruto related the Voice's warning.

"It told me… That this power… The Keyblade, could lead to great darkness… But I'm not sure how," Naruto shrugged, looking the strange weapon over. "I mean, this thing doesn't _look_ too dangerous…"

The Hokage smirked.

"Naruto, would you mind handing me the Keyblade?"

Naruto shrugged, and tossed it over to the old man, who caught it deftly. Not a second later, the key-shaped weapon vanished in a white flash of light, and returned in a similar flash to Naruto's hand. Iruka and Naruto gawked at this, while Sarutobi nodded, his thoughts seemingly confirmed.

"The Keyblade is bound to your soul, Naruto-Your heart, in essence. It has become, essentially, an extension of you, a part of your soul given physical form. Now, according to legend, long ago another Keybearer came to this world."

Naruto blinked.

"What do you mean, _this_ world?"

Iruka rubbed the bridge of his nose, assuming his lecturing position.

"The legend of the Keybearer, and the Keyblade, states that as a person has a heart, so too do worlds. And the Keyblade allows it's user to access anything. Any lock, any secret… And any heart. Though the Keyblade, you can open the connections between two hearts-Whether they are of people, or of worlds. So the legend states," Iruka concluded, and Sarutobi nodded approvingly.

"Couldn't have put it better myself, Iruka. The Keybearer traveled the universe, unlocking the connections between worlds and spreading good to each he visited. He fought darkness, conquered it, and sealed the hearts of people and worlds against darkness that threatened to consume and destroy them."

The Sandaime sighed, and leaned back in his chair. Naruto's grip on the Keyblade tightened a little.

"But… The Keybearer himself was not immune to darkness. We are not sure how, or why, but when the Keybearer turned to evil, he began unlocking the hearts of worlds, filling the souls of those worlds with the darkness within him. They were consumed, and destroyed, all their inhabitants dying or worse, until finally he himself was destroyed, and the Keyblade masterless."

Sarutobi sighed deeply, and looked Naruto deeply in the eyes. The blond tried not to look away from the _deadly_ seriousness in the Hokage's gaze.

"Naruto… The Keyblade is tied to your soul, and life force, and therefore your chakra. And, right now, the Kyuubi's demonic chakra is boosting your own, just as the seal was designed to do. But… In time, its influence on your chakra may grow."

"I thought the Kyuubi couldn't affect my soul though!" Naruto responded, nerves making his voice higher than usual. The Hokage sighed.

"Normally, yes, but the Keyblade is tied directly to your soul, and to your chakra. While using the Keyblade to focus your chakra may give you incredible abilities, it also allows the Kyuubi's demonic chakra to enter it. A little at a time, maybe more if you learn to deliberately harness it. But, while the Kyuubi's chakra is no doubt powerful, it is also tainted with its darkness." Sarutobi pointed at the Keyblade, which Naruto now regarded with suspicious eyes.

"The Keyblade chose you as its wielder because it found you suitable-You rejected the evil within you and committed yourself to light. But, the life of a shinobi can easily lead down a path of darkness. This is not a game-You must kill, or be killed in many instances, and such things can take their toll on a soul. And there is no doubt in my mind that the Kyuubi will try to use the Keyblade to influence you."

Naruto gritted his teeth.

"So… What do I do? I can't get rid of this thing, and if it's as powerful as those legends say it is…" The blond trailed off, uncharacteristically pensive.

Iruka laid a comforting hand on Naruto, as Sarutobi smiled through the gloom.

"Naruto, the Keyblade chose you. For what, I am unsure, but there is no doubt that there is a purpose in it. A purpose it would not have given you if it did not think you could accomplish it. So, believe in yourself, as I do. Iruka-sensei does, Old Man Ichiraku and Ayame-chan also. As you grow, and show people your true soul, more will believe in you, more will open their hearts to you. It is my precious people who remind me, everyday, of why I continue to be Hokage, but more importantly, to believe in myself."

Naruto nodded slowly, looking much calmer. Iruka smiled, and the blond managed a small, but genuine one back.

"Thanks, Old Man…" Sarutobi nodded.

"Um, Hokage-sama," Iruka began. "The Keyblade itself…"

The Sandaime frowned thoughtfully.

"Hm, yes… Telling people you wield a legendary weapon like _that_ will probably not go over well… So instead, Naruto, tell those who ask about it that it is a family heirloom. A weapon fashioned after the legendary Keyblade." The Sandaime smiled.

"One you should _definitely_ put in a lot of effort to master."

Naruto blinked.

"Huh?"

Iruka shook his head.

"Naruto, the more you know about how to use it and what it can do, the better a weapon it will become. And, the more control you will have over it."

Naruto nodded, his mouth forming a silent "oh" in understanding.

"Allright… I'll train non-stop! I mean, now that I can do Kage Bunshin, I'll have lots of practice partners! Dattebayo!" Naruto grinned… Before adopting a more serious look.

"Um, Old Man, about the family heirloom thing… Wouldn't it be more convincing if I knew who my family was?"

Sarutobi sighed, looking rather tired.

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I can't tell you that. Not until you are sixteen, at least. Which, coincidentally, would have been the age I would have told you about the Kyuubi."

Naruto sighed, and shrugged, smiling almost sadly.

"Yeah… Okay… Um, I've been up all night, so can I go sleep?"

The Sandaime and Iruka sweatdropped, but the former managed to recover and nodded with a smile. Naruto turned to Iruka and grinned.

"See you in a week, Iruka-sensei! Just you wait-I'll be the best ninja there!"

Iruka laughed.

"Allright Naruto. I look forward to it! Just please, try to be on time…"

Naruto pouted.

"I will! Sheesh, I'm only late to the boring stuff." Iruka's eyebrow twitched.

"_Boring_ stuff?!"

Naruto smirked and stuck his tongue out, before leaping out the window, Keyblade leaning against his shoulder.

"See ya later, Old Man! Iruka-sensei!"

Iruka scowled after him into the early morning… Before shaking his head with an exasperate smile. He turned back to face the Hokage once more. The old man looked solemn, contemplating his desk.

"Hokage-sama… Are you _sure_ you can't tell him about his family?"

"His father's orders were very explicit," Sarutobi replied quietly.

"And besides… With the Keyblade and Kyuubi, he'll be getting _enough_ attention as it is. If his parentage was revealed…"

Sarutobi's gaze went to the wall with four portraits hanging from it, and his eyes rested on the last one. Iruka's eyes found the Hokage's target, and they widened.

"You… You mean…?"

Sarutobi smirked.

"Seems pretty obvious now, doesn't it?"

Iruka gulped, and turned back to his hokage.

"Then… His mother…?"

Sarutobi nodded.

"I know who she was… And he'd be in no better straits with her identity revealed either. Still Iruka, I think he's already discovered that family is more than blood…"

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

_He was falling, air rushing by him at incredible speed, but his eyes were closed. He felt water envelope him, its cool embrace slowing his descent…_

_He opened his eyes. He blinked, looking around a forest clearing, butterflies flying about the long grass. A girl waved at him in the distance, long brown hair framing a cheerful, smiling face. Naruto felt himself smiling back, happiness at seeing this girl, _familiarity_ rising within him…_

_Her expression changed to shock, one hand covering her mouth while the other pointed to his right and up. Naruto turned and gasped-A person was falling from the clouds, orange clothing and blond hair fluttering-_

_And then he was falling, looking down on Konoha. The field he had been standing in still visible, the girl alone now, watching. He looked directly down and saw a ceremonial pond in the courtyard of a huge complex, and he closed his eyes as he hit the water, sinking, flailing again…_

_He found his feet as the abyss around him stopped being water, just like in the Deep Dive. He found himself standing on a very similar platform, only decorated with the mural of a giant fox with ninetails, facing a giant toad wearing a hakama and smoking a pipe. A familiar-looking man stood on the toad's head, until a bright light issued, blanking out the platform. Naruto looked up as nine figures dressed in black robes and straw bucket hats surrounded him. The Keyblade appeared in his hand to block a sword strike from one, whose red eyes glared out from the shadow cast by the hat-_

_The figure fell back, transforming with the surroundings, darkness dissolving in the face of sunlight. A black-haired, black-eyed boy in blue stood in the surf of a beach, smirk on his face and hand extended towards Naruto. A massive wave closed in on them, and Naruto ran forward, hand also extended, trying to reach the boy-_

_The wave struck them both, and Naruto once again found himself under water. He looked back towards the boy who drifted away, hand still reaching for his, but try as Naruto could, he could not close the distance. Naruto fell back, and he was falling again…_

_He landed once more in the dark abyss, standing on a platform. He could only get a quick look at it (two women stood together-One with red hair, feral eyes and whiskers, glaring away from a woman with long brown hair and gentle hazel eyes smiling sadly) before a figure completely covered in a black coat and hood attacked, a large, black and red sword with curling blades meeting his own silver and yellow Keyblade. Naruto parried the attacker's blow, leaping up and front-flipping over the head of the stranger. Keyblade extended, he struck his assailant's head, land and twisting around to strike him in the back._

_The assailant met Naruto's strike, and the blond gaped. Smirking back at him through a slashed hood, his own face confronted him, blood red eyes boring into his own. His red-eyed double shoved Naruto back with incredible force, sending him crashing through a platform that shattered like a stained-glass window. A though in slow motion, Naruto saw various images in the window separate, spinning with him in his flight. One of Iruka. Another of Sakura-chan. Another of the black-eyed boy. _

_A pale-eyed blonde. A brunette with pupil-less eyes. A red-haired boy with black rings around his green eyes…_

_All shattered before him from some invisible force and he was falling, vision darkening…_

"BWAH!"

_THUD!_

"Ow…"

Naruto mumbled against hard wood. With some difficulty, he pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning against his bed and rubbing his nose in irritation.

"Damnit…" The blond sighed, getting up to his feet and stretching.

"Stupid dream…"

His stomach growled, and the blond groaned, looking at the clock by his rickety bed.

"Damn! I'm going to miss lunch!"

Naruto cursed, yanking off the pajamas he'd donned for his "morning nap" and running to the hamper in green boxers for his jumpsuit. Out of habit, he'd stuck it into the small container with the intention of washing it (as he did nearly every day-It was one of the few he had that weren't either too small for him to squeeze into or failing at the seams), and as he pulled it out he made a face at how bad it smelled.

"Crap, can't wash it in time for lunch! Oh _man_…"

Naruto sighed and looked around the apartment… A good-sized package that was sitting on the table catching his eye. Naruto walked over and looked at the simple note attached.

"'_Dear Naruto,_ _sorry it took so long to get you some new clothes but the orphan's fund treasurer has been difficult. These should tide you over for a while. Sincerely, Old Man Hokage."_

Eagerly, Naruto ripped off the tape holding the box shut, and yanked out an orange-and-blue short-sleeved jacket, a hood flopping against its back, where a red spiral had been knit in. Matching shorts and a brand new, blue weapon's pouch came next. Naruto saw that the box held at least two more pairs of jackets and shorts. He grinned, throwing on a black T-shirt and his new garments and heading out the door…

Before rushing back in with a curse. He'd forgotten the Keyblade! If he was going to do any training today, he didn't want to delay by having to rush back and-

A flash of light, and the weapon was sitting in his hand. Naruto blinked… Before grinning even wider than before.

"Awesome! I just wish my house keys were that easy to find," he laughed, forsaking the door entirely and leaping out the window, jumping from roof to roof.

Ichiraku Ramen soon came into sight, and Naruto landed outside, pushing through the flaps and setting the Keyblade leaning against the counter as he took his seat.

"Old Man, the usual please!"

Ichiraku smiled brightly at the sight of Naruto… Doing a double take from the cooking vats to gape at the forehead protector now sitting on Naruto's brow.

"Eh? Naruto, what are you doing with that?"

Naruto grinned and adjusted the headband slightly.

"I passed the exam! There was this… Uh… Extra credit thing that I did!"

Teuchi raised his eyebrow at the blond, while his daughter Ayame looked at Naruto, smiling but with eyes full of concern.

"Extra credit?"

Naruto sighed.

"Um, well… I'm not sure Old Man Hokage would appreciate me blabbing everything… But trust me when I say I _earned_ this," the blond emphasized by tapping his protector twice. Ichiraku smiled, before laughing.

"Ah, Naruto! That's great news!"

Ayame nodded, her bright smile instantly bringing a matching one to Naruto's face. Her gaze dropped, and she blinked at the Keyblade resting next to Naruto.

"Uh, Naruto, what about that? What's that thing?" Ayame asked. Teuchi eyed the weapon with a concerned look alongside his daughter.

Naruto rubbed the back of his head.

"It's… A family heirloom. I inherited it… From my family," Naruto explained, straight-faced. Ayame and her father sweatdropped. Teuchi sighed.

"This another one of those things the Hokage wouldn't want you blabbing about?"

Naruto's nervous smile was all the answer he needed, and he shook his head with a smirk.

"Never a dull day with you, is it?" The old chef laughed, turning and heading into the back of the shop.

Ayame stared for a few moments at the Keyblade, leading Naruto to wave his hand in front of her face.

"Ayame-nee-chan? You okay?"

The brown-haired woman shook her head free of her trance, and smiled politely at Naruto.

"Oh yes… Hang on, Dad'll need help with the rest of the ingredients…"

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

After a hearty lunch, Naruto had set out for a training field. Konoha was literally packed with them, ranging from simple fields with target posts for kunai throwing practice, to the vast Forest of Death.

Naruto just chose a nice, simple clearing with several dummies and posts set up. Looking around, he took a deep breath and held up the Keyblade, forming the ram seal over the handle.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

The Keyblade glowed blue slightly for a moment, before patches of smoke blew up all around Naruto. He coughed slightly, before the wind cleared it and revealed the fruits of his jutsu. The blond blinked.

"Holy crap," he muttered, as the entire _field_ seemed filled with Narutos, all with the Keyblade in hand. Naruto grinned, and leapt up to the top of a post.

"All right, listen up everyone! You know what I want to do?"

"YEAH!" His numerous copies roared back.

The original thrust his Keyblade into the air above his head.

"Then let's get going!"

About two dozen shadow clones came forward to circle the post Naruto was standing on, while the rest set to sparring with eachother.

Naruto leapt off the post, a subconscious "nudge" directing him to dive while plunging his Keyblade into one clone. Its own Keyblade shot up and deflected Naruto's attack, sending the original spinning back and landing on his butt with a thud.

"OW! Hey!"

The clone shrugged.

"What? I blocked!"

"Yeah… Okay, let's go! For real this time!"

The clones charged, yelling battlecries which Naruto echoed. Deciding to ignore the subconscious cues for the moment, he slashed through a few, leap-flipping over a pair that had struck as one forward. He slashed them both from behind, a particularly violent "nudge" making him turn around. One of his clones threw it's Keyblade at Naruto, and the blond deflected it, charging forward. The counterfeit Keyblade poofed into non-existence like it's clone did on the end of the real thing. Naruto leapt up to avoid four of his doubles attacking from all sides, and spotting another that had leapt up to hit him in the air, he threw the Keyblade as hard as he could.

The weapon blew right through the clone, and continued on towards the edge of the field. At that moment, a blue-haired girl in a gray coat was moving between trees. Her pale eyes caught sight of the incoming projectile and widened. Naruto cursed.

"Damnit! LOOK OUT OR-!"

The Keyblade vanished in a flash of light, a meter from the cringing girl, and reappeared back in Naruto's hand. The blond blinked, landing almost numbly. Around him, his clones continued battling, though a few stopped to stare at the red-faced girl. Naruto leapt forward, easily covering the distance between them.

"Uh, you okay? I'm sorry, um…"

What was this girl's name again? He'd seen her before… Hime… Hina…

"Hinata?"

The blue-haired girl nodded, finger nervously tapping in front of her stomach. Her face was red and averted.

"Y-Y-Yes, N-Naruto-k-kun," she responded quietly. Naruto rubbed his fingers against the palm of his empty hand, absently thinking he probably needed to get gloves-The Keyblade's hilt was rubbing his palms uncomfortably.

Naruto quickly refocused his thoughts to the girl before him, still nervously finger-tapping.

"Hinata, uh… Did you need something?"

Hinata shook her head.

"Ah! N-N-No, N-Naruto. I j-just, um, ah…"

Naruto frowned, then snapped his fingers.

"Oh! I'm sorry, were you going to train here?"

Hinata looked up at Naruto's face, blushing even harder before looking away again.

"Ah-Um, n-no, N-N-Naruto-kun," she squeaked.

"I-I can uh… U-Use a-another-"

"Nah, it's okay!" Naruto said happily,"we can share the field, right? OI, GUYS! MAKE SOME ROOM!"

The sea of Narutos instantly stopped fighting, before moving towards the far end of the field and resuming their battles. Hinata blinked at this, staring at Naruto in wonder.

"N-N-Naruto-kun? A-Are those, um, B-Bunshin?"

Naruto grinned.

"No, _Kage_ Bunshin. Cool huh?"

Hinata nodded furiously, looking down again… Her eyes catching sight of the Keyblade.

"A… Ano… Naruto-kun?" Hinata got out.

Naruto turned back from watching his clones and blinked at her.

"Yes, Hinata-chan?"

Hinata squeaked and seemed to blush even harder, making Naruto frown.

"Hinata-chan? You okay?" Hinata nodded, taking deep breaths.

"Y-Yes, N-N-Naruto-kun, but uh…"

Hinata looked away a bit again.

"Y-Your w-weapon…?"

The blond ninja raised up the Keyblade, smiling embarrassedly.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry about almost hitting you, I didn't see you…"

"N-N-No, N-Naruto-kun! It-its okay, I just…"

Hinata managed to steer her eyes to the weapon, glistening in the sunlight.

"I-I've n-never seen an-anything like it… Wh-what is it, N-N-Naruto-kun?" She asked, a hint of wonder in her soft voice.

Naruto closed his eyes thoughtfully, before responding.

"Um… Guess you could call it a family heirloom, heh…"

Naruto swung it around a few times.

"It's called the-Um, I mean… _A_ Keyblade," Naruto explained.

Hinata smiled shyly.

"I-It l-looks v-v-very, um… Im-Impressive," she stuttered.

Naruto nodded with a smile.

"Thanks!"

"Y-Y-You're w-w-welcome," Hinata returned.

They stood in silence for a few moments.

"Hey, Hinata-chan? Um, I kind of need to get back to training…"

Hinata nodded, fingers tapping.

"R-R-Right, N-Naruto-kun…"

"Hey, if you don't have anyone else, you could train with me?"

Hinata blinked, nervously shaking her head.

"W-W-What? I-I mean, um, I'm n-not very g-good and-"

"Well, that's why you train, right?" Naruto laughed, taking her by the hand and pulling her towards his clones.

"I'm sure we can-"

Naruto abruptly noticed that it was getting harder to pull Hinata. Naruto turned around and gawked at a passed out Hinata lying on the ground.

"Hinata-chan?! Hinata-chan! Speak to me!"

In his rush to check her pulse, he didn't notice the dreamy smile on her face.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as some grammar mistakes._

_Update 4/5/07:__ Due to my beta-reader, I've changed most of the Japanese dialogue in this fic to the English translation. From now on, only honorifics, jutsus, names, and a few catchphrases will be in Japanese._

_Heh, looks like Hinata's the first to fall to Naruto's charms._

_Yes, Naruto's new clothes are based on Sora's. No, they don't have any special powers-They're just clothes the Hokage had bought for him because he thought Naruto could use some cheering up after everything. And the reason I didn't describe them in the first chapter is because he was wearing his old jumpsuit. He alternates now so he doesn't have to do as much laundry._

_Moguru no Yuushuu is roughly translated as "to dive into the deep contemplation." I'm not fluent in Japanese, but I'm guessing my grammar here is pretty bad so I'd appreciate any readers who know some Japanese correcting me so I can edit the name later._

_Okay, here's the drill: I'm trying to figure out a better name for this fic, as my beta reader has stated it sounds like the title of a romance novel. So, I leave it up to the reviewers to decide whether or not they want the title to stay the same, or change, and to what. Let your voices be heard!_

… _That was pretty cheesy huh?_

_Preview for Chapter Four:_

"_YOSH! NARUTO, YOUR WEAPON IS THE EPITOME OF THE EXPRESSION OF YOUTHFULNESS! BEATEN ONLY BY GAI-SENSEI! Surely your family shared the same values!"_

"_Uh… Yeah… Sure…" Tenten shook her head in fond exasperation._

"_Relax, there's no way you're related. Look at the eyebrows…"_


	4. Knights and Mornings

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

"And then?" Kakashi prompted Naruto (who of course had been the one relating the entire story).

Naruto flushed a bit, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, um… She woke up eventually, but she was still pretty woozy, so I cut my practice short and walked her home."

The blond demon container frowned thoughtfully.

"Is she, you know… _Anemic_ or something? Hinata-chan?"

The silver-haired jounin easily resisted the urge to laugh, and schooled his face into its usual nonchalant expression.

"No."

Naruto frowned.

"Okay… So, Kakashi-sensei… Can you help me with my training?"

Kakashi sighed.

"Naruto, I can't play favorites. I will be training you all to improve your abilities as ninja, but more importantly, as a team. But don't worry, you will be learning a lot from me."

Naruto grinned happily at this.

"Thanks, Kakashi-sensei!"

The jounin shrugged and turned around.

"Don't mention it. See you tomorrow. Be early."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I _saw_ that," Kakashi stated.

Naruto stuck his tongue out at him, before turning around and making the Ram seal.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

Four dozen Narutos appeared, wielding Keyblades of their own. The original smirked and swung his own weapon around by it's chain.

"Allright guys-_Bring it on_!"

"YEAH!" They yelled, charging.

Kakashi smirked a little, before pulling out his Icha Icha Paradise and heading for the nearby road as the sounds of violence soon followed. He paused for a moment.

"You could train with him, you know," Kakashi said casually, before resuming his casual walk… As a badly blushing Hinata peeked out from behind a tree.

"Er… Um…"

Higher in the same tree, a black-eyed, black-haired boy dressed in blue and white snorted, before turning back to watch Naruto battle his clones. The same boy glowered as Naruto fought brilliantly with his weapon, dodging and slashing and tumbling as though he'd been fighting with the thing all his life.

_Where did you get that weapon, dead last?_

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Far from the rolling forests of Konoha, in the depths of Interspace, a small, brightly-colored world slowly orbited its bright yellow sun. Green dominated the continents, blue its oceans and fluffy white clouds lazily drifted in the atmosphere. On the largest continent, there was a great kingdom. White houses of stone with red roofs surrounded a massive white and blue castle, bearing banners and blue symbols similar to the three-circle-shaped charm on the end of Naruto's Keyblade.

The outer walls enclosed sprawling green gardens with fountains and trimmed hedges in artistic arrangements, leading up to the main keep of the castle, a massive collection of proud towers stretching up into the night sky. Within one of these towers, gazing out a large window, a pensive-looking black mouse stood, gloved hands held behind his back. His gaze, rather on his kingdom (as judging by the crown on his head, he was in fact the king) was fixed on the star-filled sky above.

The room was messy study of some sort, shelves of fine wood holding books, scrolls, globes, and various other artifacts. Illuminated by a few old-fashioned lanterns, the orange light cast the chamber into eerie relief. At the entrance, large wooden door open, a female mouse in a pretty pink robe and wearing a small, matching crown stood, hands clasped before her stomach.

"Mickey? Mickey, are you allright?"

The king blinked slightly and turned around, smiling at the pink-clad mouse.

"Oh, sorry Minnie… Guess I was thinkin' too hard, heh."

Minnie sighed, shaking her head.

"Is it the Keyblade again?"

The king held out his gloved hand, and with a white flash of power a golden, key-shaped sword appeared. The mouse frowned at the weapon, experimentally swinging it a few times. He shrugged and smiled.

"Looks like everything's working fine… Just…"

Mickey turned back to the window, black eyes narrowing in focus at a particular star. It was little different from surrounding stars in the sky, twinkling cheerfully. But the Keyblade in his hand seemed to single it out, the will behind the legendary weapon trying to express importance related to this world.

"Is it… Like the one before?" Minnie asked. "The one that went out?"

Mickey shook his head.

"No… This one seems safe enough… What that means though, well golly, got me…" Minnie sighed again, and crossed the room, pulling up the edge of her robe to step over the various books, scrolls, and objects littering the stone floor. She stopped before the king, arms crossed as a stern expression appeared on her face.

"Now Mickey, staying up all night… _Again…_ Is not going to help."

"Aw, I know, I know," the king pouted. "It's just hard, you know? Something's calling the Keyblade… And I don't know what."

"Depriving yourself of sleep won't help you figure it out, now will it?" Minnie pointed out reasonably, and the king sighed.

"When you're right, you're right." Mickey grinned.

"Knew I married you for a reason."

"Besides not being able to do this king job on your own?" Minnie replied with a smirk and wink.

Mickey chuckled, taking her in his arms.

"That, and _many_ other reasons," he said.

Minnie sighed and leaned in his embrace, shaking her head with a gentle smile.

"Waaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!"

_CRASH!_

Mickey and Minnie blinked in surprise.

"What was that?" Mickey asked, pulling away from the queen, Keyblade at the ready.

"It came from inside," Minnie stated, and the King nodded before running out the door. Minnie followed, Mickey rushing through various corridors and down staircases, until finally arriving at the massive doors to the throne room. Cautiously, he entered, looking about the vast chamber.

His eyes found a blue-clad duck, grumbling and rubbing his feathered bottom, sitting before one of the huge stone pillars lining the room.

"Donald? What are you doing?" Mickey groaned. "Don't tell me you've been at this new exercise of Merlin's since you _started!"_

Donald's bad mood abruptly vanished, and he smiled cheerfully at the king. Which, the king decided, was quite a feat, considering the magician _had_ to have been at this for _hours._

"Your Majesty! Um, well… Yes! But, just take a look at this!"

With that, Donald turned back around, holding his staff out before him. Blue energy came into existence, and traveled down to the duck's yellow feet. Determined, he put a webbed foot onto the pillar, before putting his other foot on the pillar. He pulled himself into a standing position on the stone, and began to walk up, slowly up surely. Mickey blinked in shock, as Minnie gasped.

"Huh? What's all the ruckus about, ayuck?" A tall, dog-like creature in armor asked, rubbing sleep out of his eyes as he walked into the throne room.

"Hey, Goofy! Look!" Donald called out.

The knight blinked at Donald, waving at him while standing on the pillar. He rubbed his eyes again.

"Hey, you're doing it!" Donald nodded proudly, crossing his arms over his chest. Mickey smiled.

"Well whadda ya know. It works, huh? But uh… Aren't you afraid of running out of magic and falling?" Mickey asked.

Donald shook his head.

"Well yes, your Majesty, eventually you will, but this exercise lets you increase how much magic you have at any one time. It's like exercising your magic muscles."

Mickey grinned, and Minnie frowned. She'd seen that look before.

"Oh no, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?"

"Aw, c'mon Minnie! Looks like Merlin's come up with an exercise we could all use. Nothing wrong with some extra magic, right? Or sticking to surfaces."

Mickey turned to Goofy.

"Goofy, I'd like you to start training our knights in this exercise."

Goofy saluted smartly.

"Yessir, your Majesty!"

"But for now, it's _late,_ and we should _all_ be getting to bed," Minnie reminded them, crossing her arms over her chest. Mickey smirked at her.

"I know, Minnie, I know. We'll try it tomorrow. Good work Donald!" Mickey complimented the duck. Donald puffed himself up a little more and grinned.

"Heh, I can't wait to show Daisy this when she gets back! She'll-!" Donald blinked, and abruptly realized that his magic was running out. The blue glow vanished from his feet.

He gulped.

"Uh oh," the duck got out, just before slipping back into gravity's embrace.

"WAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

_THUD!_ Minnie sighed, and walked towards the downed duck, healing spell at the ready. Mickey winced sympathetically, while Goofy just chuckled a bit.

"Well, least it ain't as bad as when he was tryin' to magic up fireworks, huh?" The knight stage whispered to the king.

Mickey smirked.

"Indeed…"

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Naruto slurped up the last of his cup of chicken ramen, licking his lips in satisfaction at his breakfast, before standing up from the kitchen table and walking back to his bedroom. He pulled on a set of his new clothes (over a long-sleeved black shirt he'd managed to dig up), and headed out the window, nimbly descending the four stories of his apartment to the road below. Cheerfully he smiled at a pair of old ladies chatting on the steps of another apartment. They glared back and spat as he passed, but he paid that no mind.

_I'm a ninja now! A real ninja! So screw ya, old hags!_ The blond thought happily, following the road to the training ground. He'd gotten up earlier than usual, so he'd decided to take it easy and walk. Naruto grinned, hands behind his head as he leisurely strolled. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, it was a beautiful, peaceful day.

Until two green blurs zoomed past Naruto, spinning the blond around like a top before he fell, dizzily, to the ground.

"Ugh… Wha… Huh?"

"Hey, are you okay?"

Naruto blinked, trying to make his eyes focus. A person-shaped blob, with pink and brown mixed among other colors, slowly transformed into a concerned-looking girl with brown hair in twin buns, a pink, Chinese-style shirt, and black silk pants.

"Huh?"

The girl sighed and extended a hand to Naruto, which he took. She pulled him up to his feet, though he still wobbled a bit.

"I'm sorry about that. My sensei and Lee like to run around the village a couple times every morning. This path is part of their route…" The girl went on, as Naruto's head still spun a little.

"Uh, um, I see," Naruto managed, holding his head. The girl giggled a little. Naruto blinked and frowned into the girl's face thoughtfully.

"Er… Have we… Met? Um… Tem, no… Tenten?"

The girl blinked, and nodded.

"Yeah, that's me. Who're you?"

"Uzumaki Naruto! Um, we were in class together!" Naruto replied.

Tenten narrowed her eyes in thought, before nodding as the memory came to her.

"Right! You were the one who got Iruka-sensei with a whoopee cushion!" Tenten laughed a little at the memory.

"That was hilarious!"

The blond grinned sheepishly.

"Er, well, I was having an off-day," Naruto confessed.

Tenten smiled happily at him.

"So, what brings you out here this early?"

"Team meeting, my first," Naruto replied with a grin.

Tenten nodded, and then frowned.

"Hey wait… If you were in my class, then how-?"

"I uh, failed the exam. Three times," Naruto confessed, a bit awkwardly. He quickly grinned at Tenten's apologetic look.

"But hey! No worries! One _little_ hurdle to becoming Hokage!"

Tenten laughed a little at that, and Naruto with her… Until he noticed that she was still holding his hand. The girl's eyes drifted down to their joined hands as well, and she quickly withdrew with a mild blush.

"Um, so… Who did you get as your sensei?" Tenten asked.

Naruto smiled.

"Hatake Kakashi. He's a little lazy, but still-"

"What is this? My eternal rival has taken on a genin team?"

Naruto jumped a little at the large, green-clad, _grinning_ man who suddenly appeared. He wore a jounin vest over his skintight, _bright green_ spandex. Naruto's eyes widened just a little bit more as Tenten put a hand to her head with an exasperated smile.

"Yosh! At last, Gai-sensei! I too may have an eternal rival!"

A boy also clad in green, and seemingly a miniature version of the large man down to their eyebrows and black, bowl-cut hair, appeared next to him. Gai began to cry rivers of tears.

"_At last!_ My adorable student has a suitable rival! For only one instructed by MY OWN rival could hope to match the burning pillar of youth that is Rock Lee!"

"Oh Gai-sensei!" Lee sobbed, almost comically, as he leapt up and hugged Gai happily.

Gai returned it warmly, sniffling as though in great emotional distress.

Tenten sighed, and checked her watch, as Naruto continued to watch in confusion.

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Uh, excuse me?" Naruto asked, raising a hand as though in class. Tenten shot him a grateful look as the two green-clad ninjas parted.

_We were almost to the sunset, and by then it would be too late,_ she thought.

"Yes, Uzumaki Naruto?" Gai asked grandly.

Naruto blinked.

"Er, how do you know my name?"

Gai grinned, teeth flashing in the sun, as he gave Naruto a thumbs up.

"All know of the _burning_ youth you possess, Naruto! Your determination in the face of _adversity_ such as yours is worthy of praise! Only could a ninja, possessed of such _fire_ could hope to surmount such odds!" Naruto couldn't help but smile back at this.

_So, someone thinks I'm a hero for the Kyuubi, and not a demon…_

"Yosh! Gai-sensei, may I ask what this burden of Naruto's is?" Lee inquired.

Gai shook his head solemnly.

"You can ask, but alas, I cannot divulge that information! Be rest assured, however, that his is a _spirit_ that is a worthy one!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Er, thank you, Gai… Sensei," Naruto replied. Tenten frowned and looked at Naruto quizzically.

Gai cleared his throat, and Naruto blinked.

"Oh! Er, I have to get going. I'm meeting my team at seven and-"

"No need, Naruto! Alas, my eternal rival Kakashi is never on time! So, feel free to take this time to appreciate your all too fleeting fires of youth!" Gai grinned and gave Naruto a thumbs up once more.

"Um, thanks Gai-sensei, but I want to get some training done while I'm waiting."

Gai grinned and nodded.

"I understand, Naruto! Very well! I will see you later then!"

"Uh, wait Gai-sensei!" Lee spoke. Gai turned and raised a single bushy brow.

"Gai-sensei, I have heard a rumor regarding Naruto, and I was wondering if I could inquire about it," the green-clad boy spoke.

Gai nodded, and smiled.

"If it's all right with you, Naruto?"

"Er, sure?" Naruto said nervously.

"Naruto, I have heard a rumor that you wield a most unique weapon! May I see it if such rumors are true?" Lee asked.

Naruto scratched his head while Tenten raised an eyebrow at Lee.

"Lee, exactly _where_ did you hear these rumors anyway?"

"I heard it only as a rumor," Lee replied, to which Naruto and Tenten sweatdropped.

Gai shook his head, adopting a dramatic pose.

"Lee, one should not believe rumors! They are stirred up by unyouthful people with no fire of youth to stoke!"

Lee struck his own dramatic pose.

"But Gai-sensei, I only wish to confirm it-"

"Er, it's okay," Naruto said, holding up his hand. "I'm all right with showing it." The decision was pretty easy for Naruto.

One, eventually everyone would find out that he wielded the Keyblade. And two, the melodramatics were creeping him out a little.

So, without ceremony, Naruto held out his hand and focused.

_Keyblade… _

A flash of white light, and the weapon appeared in his grip, shining in the early-morning sun. Tenten gawked, Lee's eyebrows leapt up, and Gai-sensei nodded. He was aware of Naruto's burdens, as were all the jounin. And it appeared that this was one Naruto had no problem divulging.

"What is it?" Asked Lee, fascinated.

Naruto opened his mouth to speak-

"A Keyblade… I thought it was just a legend," Tenten spoke quietly, gazing in awe at the weapon in the blond's hand. Naruto blinked a bit at her and smiled sheepishly.

"Uh, it's not the _real_ Keyblade, heh, just a family heirloom. Really." Naruto's face turned a bit solemn.

"It's all they left me…"

Tenten frowned sympathetically. Lee and Gai, however…

"YOSH! NARUTO, THIS KEYBLADE MAY NOT BE OF LEGEND, BUT IT IS EVIDENT IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE GREATNESS OF YOUR FAMILY! NO DOUBT THEIR FIRES OF YOUTH BURNED BRIGHT!" Gai bellowed, making Naruto jump back in shock.

The green-clad jounin was sobbing a river of tears.

"YOSH! NARUTO, YOUR WEAPON IS THE EPITOME OF THE EXPRESSION OF YOUTHFULNESS! BEATEN ONLY BY GAI-SENSEI! Surely your family shared the same values!" Lee added, also crying rivers and reaching for the heavens dramatically.

Naruto blinked.

"Uh… Yeah… Sure…"

Tenten shook her head in fond exasperation.

"Relax, there's no way you're related. Look at the eyebrows…" She whispered with a small chuckle.

"That's… Not what I was afraid of," Naruto laughed in response. He leaned the Keyblade back against his shoulder and smiled brightly at them all.

"Well, see you guys later! Gai-sensei, Lee, Tenten!"

With that, Naruto leapt away, deciding to just take a shortcut to the bridge. Tenten watched him leave. Gai blinked and waved his hand in front of her face.

"Oh, uh, er-!"

"It is all right, Tenten! No doubt Naruto's shining youth rendered you dazed!" Gai announced grandly.

Tenten blushed.

"W-W-WHAT?!"

"YOSH! Indeed, now I know Naruto is worthy as my eternal rival! His youth captures the hearts of ALL!" Lee yelled.

Tenten groaned.

"No, he didn't!"

"We must celebrate our teammate's burning youth!"

"Indeed, Gai-sensei!"

"No, no, no, I mean-Oh God, not the hug!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"LEE!"

Tenten sighed. _This has long day written all over it…_

For some reason though, when she thought of Naruto, it didn't seem as bad…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as some grammar mistakes. And I edited Kakashi's conversation with Hinata to something more in-character._

_Update 4/5/07:__ Due to my beta-reader, I've changed most of the Japanese dialogue in this fic to the English translation. From now on, only honorifics, jutsus, names, and a few catchphrases will be in Japanese._

_Mwahahahahaaa! Fear the first sign of Disney activity in the fic! This'll help me stay on track!_

_And no, Sasuke is not stalking Naruto out of sexual attraction. So don't get any ideas, yaoi fangirls. You know who you are…_

_Hope I did Gai and Lee justice, I always have trouble writing them as dramatically as I'd like without making it cheesy. And hope I did well with Tenten too._

_For the purposes of this story, chakra and magic are pretty much the same energy, which can be manipulated in different ways. _

_Preview for Chapter Five:_

"_Dobe… Fight me."_

"_Eh? Why?"_

"_Yeah, why Sasuke-kun? You'll just slaughter him and-!"_

"_Loser takes Sakura on a date."_

"_WHAT?!"_


	5. Energy Required

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ If you have questions about the fic, please refer to the reviews I answer at the end. If you have a question that I have not answered, then ask that, but I'd prefer to not have to keep repeating myself over and over. With that out of the way, enjoy!_

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Uchiha Sasuke was not at the top of his class for nothing. While much praise and applause had been directed his way, out of pity and the prestige of his name, he'd made sure to earn every bit of it. He took being a ninja seriously in all respects. He had to, to fulfill his mission.

Every lesson he'd studied ruthlessly, every jutsu and training exercise he'd put in the effort to master. He trained _every_ day, no exceptions. And he had little patience for those who got into this job for glamour or romance (such as the babbling, pink-haired _fangirl_ at his arm right now).

But, as Sasuke looked out at the small stream underneath the bridge he was standing on, Sakura chattering happily nearby, he was faced with a conundrum he couldn't resolve.

Uzumaki Naruto. The dead last in their class. He was the clown, the goof off, the loud-mouthed moron who could barely make it to class on time. He was one of the aforementioned people Sasuke thought didn't take the way of the ninja seriously. True, Sasuke felt something close to camaraderie with the blond, since they both seemed to have been alone for the majority of their lives. But still, Naruto had failed to graduate _three times,_ despite entering the academy three years _early._

Sasuke had seen Naruto as someone who wasted opportunities, who _didn't_ work for what he'd been given. _Especially_ now, with that bizarre weapon of his.

"I hope you like this brand of conditioner I'm using, I think it's _much_ more pleasant than the last don't you think…?"

What _was_ that thing? Sasuke wondered. It looked every bit as comical and ridiculous as Naruto himself, and yet the dead last clearly knew how to use it. This was certain, given his performance against Kakashi and the training session Sasuke had observed yesterday. What was more, how did Naruto learn a _jounin_ level technique anyway? It seemed likely that the key-like weapon, the Kage Bunshin, and Naruto's newfound skill (that, Sasuke grudgingly noted, was easily a match for his own in many circumstances) were all connected. How, he was unsure.

But Sasuke was going to find out. Because if that weapon got Naruto up close to _his_ level, what could it do for him?

"Oi, morning Sakura-chan!" The blond in question announced happily, landing on the bridge with a grin.

"Morning, bastard!"

"Loser," Sasuke returned flatly as Naruto smirked.

Sakura growled.

"Naruto you idiot! Don't call Sasuke-kun that!"

"What else would I call him?" Naruto teasingly replied.

Now _that_ was unexpected, Sasuke noted. Sakura blinked rapidly but her scowl came back.

"IDIOT! I'm going to-!"

"Loser," Sasuke interrupted, speaking a bit more loudly than his usual monotone. Sakura and Naruto paused, both turning their attention to him.

"Er, yeah bastard?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Fight me."

"Eh? Why?" Naruto asked, frowning.

Sakura laughed a bit.

"Yeah, why Sasuke-kun? You'll just slaughter him and-!"

"Loser takes Sakura on a date."

"WHAT?!" Replied both in shock. Inwardly, Sasuke smirked. He was _brilliant…_

"Wait a minute here, bastard! Shouldn't it be _winner_ takes Sakura-chan on a date?" Naruto protested, but he was already assuming a fighting stance.

Sasuke smirked outwardly this time.

"Since you'll lose anyway, I suppose I should make sure you get something you want," he returned simply. Naruto growled and Sasuke congratulated himself on actually paying some attention to his useless teammates. He'd beat Naruto, and _hopefully_ this set up would make the idiot congenial enough to spill information about his changes. Directly asking was not Sasuke's style-It would look weak.

"How about the _winner_ gets to decide the prize?" Naruto retaliated.

"Again… You have no chance, loser. Now, are we going to fight or not?" Sasuke asked. Naruto narrowed his eyes and held out a hand. In a flash, his strange, Key-shaped weapon appeared. Naruto settled into that unusual fighting stance from before. Sasuke felt a little surprised at the raw determination seemingly burning in the blond's eyes. Sakura backed off, watching a bit pensively.

"I get the feeling I'm going to be saying this a _lot_," Naruto began, "but don't underestimate me!" The blond lashed out with his weapon and Sasuke brought out a kunai to parry it. Sasuke found himself slightly surprised as Naruto continued his attack, forcing Sasuke to move back as the strikes grew stronger. Sasuke finally leapt off the bridge entirely and landed on the bank nearby, in a large grassy field. Naruto leapt after him, twirling the key around in flair before throwing it with deadly accuracy at Sasuke.

The Uchiha leapt away, mindful of Naruto's strategy with the weapon before, and wasn't disappointed when it teleported back into Naruto's hands. He parried the blond's next strike with his kunai again, using the momentum passed to him from Naruto to power a roundhouse kick to his opponent's shoulder. Naruto twisted away from the blow, rolling the ground and to his feet, his fingers in a cross over the hilt of his weapon.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

Ten more Narutos appeared and they charged, striking at him in pairs. Sasuke leapt up and flipped backwards in midair, making four handseals.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

The fireball slammed into the mob of Narutos, easily blasting them out of existence and sending the real thing flying back, skidding along the ground on his feet and barely avoiding falling into the water. Sasuke landed easily and smirked at Naruto, who glared and made the same handseal again.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_

A dozen Narutos poofed into existence this time. All but two charged for Sasuke, while one grabbed the real Naruto and began to swing him around at high speed. Sasuke pulled out two kunai and threw them at high speed, two Naruto clones being hit and poofing out of existence as the rest avoided it and continued forward.

Sasuke kept moving out of range, sniping the clones, as the real Naruto was let loose, flying forward above the field. Naruto spun up his key again and threw it for Sasuke, just as the remaining clones threw theirs as well. Sasuke, mindful of Naruto's fight with Kakashi, quickly made handseals again.

"_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"_

Sasuke spit several precise, bird-shaped fire blasts, taking out several of the cloned keys. Just before he shot the last one, however-

"_Kai!"_

This key-like weapon burst into smoke and became Naruto. The real weapon flashed into his hands as the last firebird left Sasuke's mouth. Naruto swung through the fire bird, blasting through it as he landed and charged a surprised Sasuke.

_CLANG!_

_Damnit!_ Sasuke and Naruto thought, kunai pushing back against key-weapon. Naruto was frustrated his gambit hadn't worked, and Sasuke was mentally cursing because he'd _never_ seen Naruto use this tactic in his training. _Did he come up with it while we were fighting, or before?_

Sasuke recovered quickly and struck, driving Naruto back, who deflected and parried every blow the Uchiha lashed out with. Naruto fell back slightly to one strike and twirled around, swinging his key-weapon for Sasuke's side.

The Uchiha brought out a second kunai and knocked the weapon away, thrusting with the other for Naruto's arm. The blond bent his knees and dropped, swinging the key-weapon for Sasuke's legs. Sasuke jumped back, and both genin glared at eachother. Naruto was breathing a bit harder than usual, but Sasuke was nearly wheezing despite his efforts to focus and control his respiration.

_Damn… Only enough chakra for one more __Goukakyuu…_ Sasuke snarled as Naruto mad the ram seal again, and a dozen kage bunshin appeared once more. _Loser! How dare you become stronger than me!_

"Moron! How the hell are you getting so strong?!"

Naruto smirked, Sasuke's rage increasing.

"What's the matter, bastard? Afraid of taking Sakura-chan out on a date? I guess you really _are_ gay!"

That did it. Sasuke forced just enough chakra into his legs to leap high above Naruto and his clones. He made the proper handseals and focused his rage along with his chakra into the first fire jutsu he'd ever mastered.

"_KATON! GOUKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"_ Sasuke roared, producing an even _bigger_ fireball that raced down for Naruto. Naruto spun his key again, the weapon beginning to glow a fierce blue, before he threw it up as hard as he could. The two projectiles-fireball and key-like weapon-met in a terrific explosion that blinded Sakura, who was watching from the sidelines.

_KABOOM!_

"Kyah!" She cried, covering her eyes with a grimace. She blinked rapidly, slowly forcing the spots from her eyes as she ran anxiously over to ground zero. Several trees had caught fire, while the surrounding field now had a pretty large crater in it. Sakura looked about anxiously.

"SASUKE-KUN! SASUKE-KUNNN!" She cried out… Just as a familiar blond head popped out of the ground nearby with a scowl.

"Hey! What about me?! _I'm_ the one he tried to fry!" Naruto shouted in irritation. Sakura gawped at this, her green eyes darting between the crater and Naruto quickly.

"Damnit Sakura, don't yell so loudly," an irritated (and familiar) voice grumped. Sakura turned and saw a dirty (but alive) Sasuke trudging up. Ignoring Naruto as he struggled to dig himself out, Sakura rushed and glomped Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun! I thought-I mean, I didn't think you could-! But Naruto-!"

"Oi, bastard! The hell was that for?" Naruto demanded, finally fully out of the ground. He brushed himself off, scowling at Sasuke.

The Uchiha scowled back.

"Idiot… Quit complaining you were too weak to fight me!"

"I'm not the one barely able to _stand_, you bastard!" Naruto retorted, his weapon flashing back into his hand.

Sasuke shoved the concerned Sakura aside and stalked for Naruto.

"I'll show _you_ barely able to stand, you-!"

"Ahem."

All three genin turned to see Kakashi standing at the edge of the crater. His one visible eye was closed in that unusual smile of his.

"Since you seem to have so much energy in _fighting_ eachother, why don't we find out just how much you can put into today's missions?"

"Missions? What kind of missions?" Naruto asked with a frown.

Kakashi's eye smile seemed to grow. A sinking feeling appeared in Team Seven's stomachs.

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Kakashi sat on the upper branches of a tree overlooking a backyard, contentedly reading his _Icha Icha Paradise Volume 5._ Below, a large assortment of kids were all gathered. A banner with the words "_Happy Birthday Asuka"_ was strung over the house, as the red-headed birthday girl herself and a number of her friends scowled at Sakura. The pink-haired girl smiled uneasily back as she held out some cards.

"Um, your card is… The jack of spades?"

"Wrong! You stink!" The birthday girl yelled, as the rest of the six-year olds booed.

Sakura grimaced, but her discomfort was _nothing_ next to Sasuke's.

"Mister Ninja, can I have a balloon animal?" Sasuke's eyebrow twitched violently. He stood as still as a statue, hair dyed red and face painted white as for a clown. His nose was covered in a red plastic squeaky ball. He was skulking near the fence of the yard, as a little boy stood before him, picking his nose.

"No," Sasuke stated.

The little boy pouted.

"What kind of clown are you anyway?"

Sasuke smirked, as a not-quite-sane glint appeared in his eyes.

"I can breathe fire," he said menacingly, causing the little boy to run off crying. A number of Naruto's clones were trying to entertain the other kids with kazoos and other noisemakers, but they weren't very happy with them.

"OW! You little brat! Why'd you kick me?"

"HEY! QUIT THAT!"

"When I get my hands on you-!"

The mother of little Asuka (who, Kakashi noted, had a _perfect_ figure-Part of the reason he'd taken this mission) walked underneath his tree and sighed.

"Are you sure they can't do anything better?"

Kakashi frowned and shrugged.

"Well, the blond one said he had to go get something…"

"I'M BACK!"

The original Naruto hopped over the fence, grinning from ear to ear. In one hand he carried a large, grey ball. He walked up to the sulking birthday girl.

"Hmph! And what's that for, huh?" Asuka snorted.

Naruto grinned.

"Watch this! HIYAH!"

Naruto threw the ball up into the air, before holding out his hand. The Keyblade flashed into existence in his grip, making the watching children gasp. With a grin and wink at Sakura, Naruto leapt up and whacked the ball even higher, backflipping in mid-air and landing easily on one foot.

The ball fell towards Sasuke's head, and just before the emo-clown was about to whack it away in irritation, a Naruto clone (with it's own Keyblade) hit the ball back up into the air with three consecutive strikes. Asuka began to cheer, as did the rest of the children, as Naruto and his clones kept up the show, hitting the ball into the air while performing stunning aerial acrobatics. Even the mother (who had given Naruto nothing but glares since he arrived) began to smile and applaud with every dramatic leap, combo, and twirl the blond put into his performance.

Kakashi couldn't help but smile a bit himself-Naruto always did want attention, but he'd had to contend with negative attention most of his life. Positive attention was definitely to the demon container's liking, as evidenced by the carefree nature of his laughter and the honesty of his smiles.

Sakura, for her part, tried to not smile (since her crush was scowling at the entire thing), but found herself failing to keep a straight face.

_Wow… Naruto's really impressive! I mean, today he fought Sasuke-kun so well… Wait, what am I saying?_

_**YEAH! Naruto's still a loud-mouthed idiot! No way he could have beaten Sasuke-kun! SHANNARO!**_Her inner self piped in, letting Sakura dispose of her smile…

"Hey Sakura-chan! Hey! Watch this!" Naruto shouted. One of his clones smacked the ball right to him, to which he whacked the ball to _another_ clone, from there to another, and finally it was smacked back to Naruto who had leapt high into the air. He whacked the ball straight down and it plummeted, making most of the kids gasp… Then cheer as another Naruto kage bunshin appeared right underneath the ball and whacked it back up just in time. Sakura found herself clapping happily.

_Well, so what? Just because he's funny doesn't mean I _like_ him or anything._

_**Definitely! SHANNARO!**_

Sasuke had taken to brooding near the punch bowl, watching every feat Naruto performed with a scowl.

_How the hell did that idiot get that weapon? It's not fair-A loser like him doesn't _deserve_ something so powerful!_

"What is that thing?" Asuka, the birthday girl, asked loudly, indicating Naruto's weapon. The original had taken a brief break as his clones continued to knock the ball around above.

The blond grinned.

"It's a Keyblade! It's, uh... A family heirloom!" The little kids crowded eagerly around Naruto, oohing and ahhing over the Keyblade, which Naruto was happy to let them examine and touch. The blond looked up briefly to see Sasuke scowling at him, to which Naruto just grinned.

_Family heirloom? Yeah right… I'll find out how you got that thing, dead last. And when I do…_

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as some grammar mistakes._

_Update 4/5/07:__ Due to my beta-reader, I've changed most of the Japanese dialogue in this fic to the English translation. From now on, only honorifics, jutsus, names, and a few catchphrases will be in Japanese.__ As "Believe it!" sounds completely stupid._

_Dun dun dunnnn! Looks like Sasuke's envy of Naruto has appeared, but will it stay?_

_Beta'd by Captain Sarcasm. Thanks!_

_Yes, the ball thing is in homage to _Kingdom Hearts II. _There will be several such homages in this fic, as well as foreshadowing._

_I really loved putting Sasuke in the clown costume. I'm so evil…_

_I'm not sure if Sasuke should develop the Sharingan before the Zabuza arc or during. Tell me what you guys think!_

_Preview for Chapter Six:_

"_Naruto? What took you so long?"_

"_Um, nothing… I just… Saw something in the shadows…"_


	6. A Few Little Changes

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ If you have questions about the fic, please refer to the reviews I answer at the end. If you have a question that I have not answered, then ask that, but I'd prefer to not have to keep repeating myself over and over. With that out of the way, enjoy!_

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Yamanaka Ino sighed as she scrubbed the counter of her family shop with a cloth, resting her chin on her hand. Another long, boring shift had taken its toll and the blonde could barely stay awake. The last customer had left _hours_ago-She honestly wasn't sure what her mother was thinking, keeping them open this late. The sun was nearly set.

The front door rang, and Ino sighed.

"Welcome to Yamanaka Florists, can I help you?" She asked dully.

"Hey Ino! I didn't know this was your shop!"

The blonde looked up and blinked at the grinning Naruto. She raised a single pale eye incredulously.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?"

The blond boy held up a sickly-looking potted plant and rubbed the back of his head anxiously with his free hand.

"Um, Mr. Chu here is kind of sick and I was hoping you could help me?"

Ino blinked awkwardly.

"Mr… Chu? Wait, since when do you garden?!"

Naruto gave her a flat look.

"It's cheaper than a dog, right? Can you help me or not?"

Ino sighed in irritation, but said nothing else. Naruto mentally shrugged, and walked to the counter, setting Mr. Chu down carefully. Ino gave it a cursory look over and stuck a single finger into the soil. She made a face.

"Great, the soil's completely saturated. You're over watering the poor thing!"

Naruto scowled.

"I didn't mean to! It's just, in between training and missions, I'm afraid of under watering!"

Ino sighed.

"Well, try to water it a set amount every time, okay? Otherwise you'll drown it." Ino then smirked. "So, how is Sasuke-kun doing?"

Naruto frowned.

"Hmph. He's a bastard, what else is new?"

Ino whacked Naruto over the head.

"OW! Hey!"

Ino scowled.

"Don't talk badly about Sasuke-kun!"

Naruto growled in irritation.

"No worse than what he says about me!"

Ino snorted.

"I'm sure you deserve it!"

"For what?!"

"For being so annoying, that's why!"

"I'm not annoying! I'm just telling the truth!"

"Since when have you told the truth?"

Naruto opened his mouth to yell back at the blonde… Before he sagged, sighing. Ino blinked in disbelief. _What the…?_

"Yeah, fine, whatever," Naruto muttered. The blond took back the pot and turned around. Ino gaped a bit, before biting her lower lip.

"Um, wait…"

Naruto paused, and turned around, blinking curiously. Ino sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry about that… I've just been kind of stressed lately…"

Naruto frowned, his eyes closed thoughtfully.

"From what? Your new team?"

Ino nodded, secretly surprised that Naruto got it right. _Just what is up with him lately?_

"Yeah… Asuma-sensei doesn't train me at all! He just plays game with Shikamaru or has Chouji practice his family techniques," Ino scowled. "Whenever I ask him for help, he says I should practice more with the other two, but _they_ barely train at all!"

"Kind of sounds like my sensei," Naruto commented. "All he's done this last month when we meet is have us do stupid missions. Delivering milk, painting fences… I have to train all by myself!"

The two blonde ninja sighed in unison.

"… So, Naruto, I kind of have to ask you something,"

Ino broke.

"Er, what?"

Naruto asked, blinking. Ino frowned.

"It's been all over the village lately that you've got some weird weapon… And that it helped you pass the exam?"

Naruto smiled slightly.

"Something like that… Where did you hear it from?"

Ino folded her hands in front of her.

"Forehead was blabbing about how Sasuke-kun started bringing a sword with him to team meetings because of your weapon."

Naruto nodded a bit, and held out his hand.

"You mean this?"

A flash later, and the Keyblade appeared in his hand. Ino jumped a bit at that, before her teal eyes took in the weapon.

"… What kind of a weapon is that?" Ino asked incredulously.

Naruto smirked a little.

"A Keyblade… It's a family heirloom. Pretty cool, huh?"

Ino blinked.

"It's a giant key," she deadpanned.

Naruto sweatdropped.

"Uh, well… Yeah…" Ino hopped over the counter and examined the Keyblade closely, poking it a bit with manicured fingers. Naruto fidgeted as Ino finally pulled back. She took in the whole weapon again, and shook her head with a smirk.

"Sadly enough, it actually fits you. Everything else is out of place on you after all," the blonde laughed. Naruto scowled.

"Hey! What do you mean by that?"

"Naruto, you wear_bright_ _orange._ And you have _yellow_ _hair_, and a tanned complexion. If that's not a crime against fashion, I don't know what is!" Ino giggled.

Naruto blushed a little, but still scowled at the chuckling kunoichi.

"I _like_ orange!"

"I can tell," Ino laughed, "but you have to admit, it's not the most flattering color on you. I mean, can you imagine me wearing orange?"

Naruto grinned.

"I think you'd look great in orange, actually," the blond ninja responded honestly, to which both he and Ino blushed a little. Ino shook her head and cleared her throat.

"Yeah, well… You should probably wear more black. You'd look better in it," the kunoichi countered. Naruto groaned.

"Aw, but black is so… So… So _emo!"_

Ino scowled.

"It is not emo! And besides, what kind of ninja wears bright orange and blue anyway?"

"What kind of ninja has purple fingernail paint?" Naruto shot back.

Ino blinked and looked at her violet nails. She then brushed her pale hair back over her shoulder and smirked.

"The most beautiful ones, of course!"

Naruto smirked.

"Well, can't argue with _that_!" Naruto teased.

Ino blushed and glared.

"W-What do you mean by that?!"

"It's fun to make you blush. You're cute like that. I'll have to do it more," Naruto explained laughingly, as he headed out.

"See you later, Ino-chan!"

Ino scowled after the blond idiot, and sighed before shaking her head.

_Looks like Forehead may be on to something… Naruto's… _different._ Not that it's a bad thing, all things considered…_

Ino smiled, almost fondly.

_It's nice to be noticed once in a while…_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

As he headed for home, Naruto couldn't help but wonder what had possessed him to tease Ino. Sure, she was pretty cute (nothing on Sakura-chan!), and had talked to him pretty kindly (compared to how she usually treated him), but still…

And how he'd acted when Ino had called him annoying… It was like the hurt and pain just bubbled out of him. Usually he had more control than that, but something had changed… Something was making him more open.

_Just what is it about you that changes things around here? _Naruto thought irritably, mentally regarding his Keyblade. _Ever since I got you… Things have been… Different…_

Sure, the majority of the villagers still glared and spat at him, and a fair number of ninja too… But the kids at the birthday party, the mom who Naruto recalled had often shooed her daughter Asuka away when he came walking by… They had enjoyed his performance.

Heck,_he'd_ enjoyed his performance! Getting attention for making people smile or laugh sure felt a lot better than making people scream or glare… Or in Iruka-sensei's case freak out.

Revenge on people who made his life hell _was_ fun, no doubt about it, but making people have fun… Naruto wasn't sure which he liked better.

The stars had begun to come out, and Naruto took a moment to look up at them, shifting Mr. Chu to his other arm. He winced, then regarded his red hands and sighed.

"Man, I _do_ need gloves," he thought aloud. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't develop calluses as he trained. He just rubbed his palms raw with his sword hilt and they healed back up-As soft as they were before. _Probably something to do with the fox,_ he decided.

Naruto paused his walking to find himself in front of a nin clothing store. Naruto frowned thoughtfully. It was a new one, definitely not like the others which had thrown him out when he took a single step in the door. Naruto then looked back at his hands. For some reason, Ino's opinion on his clothing stuck in his head…

_Hey wait! I know!_ Naruto grinned. _If Ino thinks I would look better in darker clothes… Then maybe Sakura would too!_ It wasn't as if he didn't have the money. D-Rank missions may have been boring, but they did provide extra funds. And what better way to put them to use than this?

Grinning at this stroke of brilliance, Naruto entered the store. He then blinked at the familiar-looking girl behind the counter.

"Eh? Tenten-chan?"

The bunned girl looked up and smiled.

"Naruto! Hey! What brings you around here?"

Naruto smiled.

"Um, I was in the neighborhood… This is your shop?"

Tenten shook her head.

"No, it's my parent's. We recently moved our old shop to this location."

Naruto's face fell, at Tenten's words, and the sign at the back of the shop._Tsume Shinobi Supply_._Oh man… Knew it was too good to be true… _

"Hey, are you okay? What's wrong?" Tenten asked.

Naruto frowned.

"Um, are you parents in?"

Tenten blinked, confused.

"No?"

"When will they be back?" Naruto pressed.

Tenten blinked again, but indulged the blond.

"Not for an hour at least… They went to the old shop for some last minute arrangements-"

Naruto moved forward, almost nose to nose with Tenten. The bunned girl's eyes widened at the almost maniacal look in Naruto's eyes.

"Okay, Tenten-chan? I need new clothes. Black please."

"Er, sure," Tenten replied, blushing a bit at their proximity. She moved away and hopped over the counter, leading the blond to their selection of jackets. A particular one caught Naruto's eye, and he eagerly pulled the short-sleeved, black and orange jacket off the rack. Quickly he tried it on, as Tenten gave him a bemused look.

"How do I look?" Naruto asked.

Tenten giggled.

"It suits you, I think," the brunette responded with a smile. Naruto smiled back, enjoying how the jacket fit him.

"Hey, if you want you can also get new shoes," Tenten went on, bending over a stack of shoeboxes. Naruto blushed a bit as his eyes traced her backside, but quickly averted his gaze.

_Argh… Don't be a pervert!_ He scolded himself, as the girl came back with a box in particular.

"These are becoming pretty popular," Tenten said with a smile, opening the box and showing off what appeared to be normal ninja sandals… Only the openings were covered in white fabric. Naruto tapped the toe of one of the sandals, and was surprised to feel metal underneath. Tenten grinned.

"Some new company is making these new ninja sandals with leather-coverings over steel plates for a _very_ low price. The Hokage is apparently buying up whole wagon loads for the ANBU."

Naruto grinned, and nodded.

"All right, how much?"

A few recommendations from Tenten, some more clothing, and purchasing the whole thing later, Naruto exited the shop with his new clothes in a bag, and Mr. Chu in his free hand. He headed for his home, looking forward to the next day.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The morning sun had just begun to rise… But Sasuke was wide awake and alert.

Standing in the training field Team 7 met near, Sasuke took a deep breath, centering himself. He raised the sword in his hands straight up, knees bent, body balanced, eyes closed. The Uchiha swung down quickly, moving forward with the strike, before pulling back fluidly and repeating the move.

He began to expand the forms, swinging the straight, steel, double-edged blade around in his hand as though to deflect a kunai. Falling into a crouch and jabbing into an imaginary opponent's legs. Leaping and backflipping to bring a swift axe blow onto his target.

The _Houou Kishou,_ or Rising Phoenix, style of taijutsu, was created by the Uchiha Clan. As such, it relied heavily on pushing or luring an opponent into a trap or killing blow, as the Sharingan granted an enormous defensive advantage. Since Sasuke lacked the Sharingan (at the moment, he told himself), he'd adjusted the style to compensate, confident that when his bloodline finally became active he'd master it entirely.

However, his fight with Naruto had revealed a key flaw in Sasuke's approach: Without the Sharingan, Sasuke could not anticipate Naruto's random, almost inefficient but effective fighting style. The constant changes, the chaotic but directed nature of his movements-Naruto was practically the perfect counter to Rising Phoenix.

Which meant that, with some _considerable_ refinement, it could be adapted for use against Sharingan users.

Sasuke began adjusting his movements, trying to incorporate Naruto's fast, chaotic movements with Rising Phoenix's graceful, fluid foot and air work. Spinning his sword around, Sasuke grimaced-It felt so_unnatural…_

Landing easily from a mid-air combo, Sasuke wiped his brow. He scowled a bit as he picked up a familiar, weak chakra signature moving towards him.

"Good morning, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura waved cheerfully at him.

The Uchiha ignored the gesture, going to his canteen and taking a refreshing drink of water. Sakura smiled happily at him, her hands held behind her back.

"I was watching you," she began, to which Sasuke grunted. Sakura took this as progress and continued.

"What kind of sword is that, Sasuke-kun? I don't think I've seen one before…"

"It's a _chokuto,"_ he said simply, walking back to the bridge. He slid the blade into it's sheath strapped across his back, then leaned against the railing of the bridge, arms crossed and head down.

"Oh, really? I haven't seen one of those outside of the textbooks! It's very nice," Sakura complimented. Sasuke snorted slightly, before turning his eyes up to see Naruto groggily walking up. The blond immediately brightened at seeing Sakura.

"Good morning, Sakura-chan! And you too, bastard," Naruto grinned. Sasuke snorted, but did make eye contact with the blond.

"Dead last," Sasuke returned, to which Naruto smirked as usual. The Uchiha blinked and raised an eyebrow. Something seemed off…

"Naruto! Don't call Sasuke-kun that or I'll-! Uh… Naruto?"

Naruto grinned, leaning back against the railing on the opposite side of the bridge.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan?"

The pink-haired girl blinked.

"What's… With the new clothes?"

Naruto looked down at his black and orange jacket, white T-shirt, black and orange pants, and new sandals. He still had his new, blue weapon's pouch tied to his thigh. Naruto shrugged.

"You know, I wanted to try something new," Naruto replied. "How does it look?"

"It's… Uh…" Sakura began, blinking.

Sasuke snorted.

"At least you're finally wearing some darker clothes, dead last. Now you're only screaming 'kill me' _quietly,"_ the Uchiha snorted. Naruto glowered back.

"Oh yeah, your baby blue shirt and white pants are _way_ less noticeable, bastard!"

The two scowled at eachother. Naruto stuck his tongue out. Sasuke resisted the urge to make a similar face back, before someone clearing their throat was heard.

"Well, I see the routine's remained the same," Kakashi observed from a tree near the bridge.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura yelled, as Naruto and Sasuke switched their glares to the silver-haired jounin.

Kakashi landed on the ground and rubbed the back of his head, single visible eye closed.

"Well, I happened to spot a bunch of mice riding around on a rollerskate-"

"LIAR!" Sakura bellowed.

Kakashi sighed.

"Fine, fine… All right. The Hokage has given us two missions early. One is to locate the Daimyo's wife's cat… Again."

The genins groaned.

"The other is to deliver mail along a block for a woman who broke her foot recently," Kakashi went on. He smirked under his mask.

"Being the kind, understanding sensei I am, I've decided to let you guys do both. Whoever wants the mail mission-?"

Kakashi smirked as Naruto leapt forward.

"Me! Me! I call it! Dibs! Mine!"

Kakashi sighed, and handed Naruto the mission details.

"Of course, there was a third option… Special training with me," Kakashi added.

Naruto's face fell, as Sasuke smirked.

"I call the training," Sasuke said. Kakashi nodded, and handed the envelope with the mission details for the Daimyo's cat to a depressed-looking Sakura. Naruto glared at Kakashi, before turning and grumbling, looking over the information in the envelope.

The blond paused, and looked to his left, a frown on his whiskered face. Kakashi blinked.

"Naruto? What are you looking at?"

"Um, nothing… I just… Saw something in the shadows…" Naruto explained, almost nervously. The blond headed off soon after.

Sakura left as well, casting a longing look back at Sasuke before heading away. Sasuke smirked and looked at Kakashi. The jounin was still smiling.

"So… Training?" Sasuke stated flatly.

Kakashi reached into his pouch. Sasuke drew his sword in an instant, and had it leveled at his teacher… Only to facefault as a familiar orange book appeared in Kakashi's hand.

"Tell me Sasuke, what do you know about sex?" Kakashi asked. "It seems to me that you'll need to know how to do it if you're going to revive your clan…"

Sasuke managed to suppress a groan out of sheer willpower, as his 'lesson' began.

_Itachi, you may yet have some competition on the 'People I Need to Kill' list…_

Kakashi paused for only a moment, looking over his shoulder at the place Naruto was staring at before. He could have sworn he heard something move… The jounin shrugged mentally. He couldn't pick up any chakra signatures…

"Sasuke, trying to escape will not work," Kakashi said.

Sasuke growled, and turned back, sitting on the ground with a glare at his sensei. The jounin resumed his lesson… But could not shake the feeling of something being very wrong…

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 4/10/07__: Edited spacing in order to make it easier to tell who is talking, as well as extending the Ino/Naruto fight and fixing some spelling. I have also edited previous chapters, so feel free to check back and tell me what you think of my modifications._

_Yes, Naruto's outfit is basically like his Post-Timeskip outfit-Only cut like Sora's get up. _

_The shoes were a recommendation from my beta reader. Why should Naruto get the new look? Plus, those ninja sandals just bugged me. Say hello to ninja sneakers!_

"_Rising Phoenix" is the name given to Sasuke's fighting style in several other fanfics. It seemed appropriate so I borrowed it. Sasuke's sword is essentially like the one he gets in the post-time-skip era as well, but obviously shorter._

_Kakashi is basically at the point now where he's waiting for his genin to snap and demand a better-ranked mission. Whoever correctly guesses the reference made in Kakashi's excuse gets to choose what anime character will make a cameo in a future chapter._

_Heartless make their first appearance next chapter! Will our orange-clad, Key-wielding hero survive? Probably, but don't let that keep you from reading._

_Preview for Chapter Seven:_

_They were all around him, twitching, jerking, hungry yellow eyes glowing in the shade…_


	7. Sun and Shade

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ Wow, over a hundred reviews and I'm only up to chapter 6! I don't think any of my fics have enjoyed such popularity. I do appreciate all the reviews, so keep it up please, even if you think the story sucks. I can't please everyone, but its nice to know what the readers think of what you've written._

_Okay, I'm not going to directly respond to reviews anymore as is a Nazi about such things. However, I will continue to write notes on the story and request suggestions, as my outline is very flexible. If you want direct communication with me, feel free to check out my forums for this story. _

_Now, with all that out of the way, roll 'em!_

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"Again, thanks a lot for your help Kurenai-san. Ever since I broke my foot I've been behind on my work," the tall, dark skinned man said gratefully, leaning on a crutch outside his small home. Kurenai smiled back, as her genin stood behind her holding several boxes.

"Its not a problem, Makihara. How long until you're back on the job?" The man grimaced.

"A week at least. Guess I should be more careful while training…"

Kiba groaned under the weight.

"The hell is in these things anyway?!" Makihara shrugged.

"Some kind o' wheels for these new kinds of wagon up north. Supposed to run on their own," the dark-skinned ninja continued, ending the sentence with an incredulous snort.

Hinata fidgeted a little under the weight of her box.

"Ano… M-Makihara-san… If you're a ninja, w-why are you taking on other j-jobs?"

The man smiled as a petite, pale, black haired girl stood in the doorway next to him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she blushed, a hand over her protruding belly.

"Until I get a promotion, I need as much income as I can get with Chiaki-chan here expecting." His wife smiled.

"Thank you ever so much!" Kurenai nodded and turned to head down the street. Her genins obediently followed, Akamaru trotting along his master. Kiba groaned again.

"Great… Are we even getting paid for this mission?"

Shino raised an eyebrow, displaying no difficulty with his boxes.

"We were appointed this mission per the standard procedure. I imagine we will be paid."

"Yeah," Kiba began, "but you heard him. He needs all the income he can get!" Kurenai smiled.

"Well, as this is a low-rated D-Rank mission, the money made by getting his orders in more than covers what he'll pay us. Besides, as he is a friend, I've decided to decline my own pay from this mission."

Hinata stumbled a bit, her teammates turning back as one.

"Hinata, you okay?" Kiba asked. Hinata nodded and smiled weakly.

"I'm f-fine… Don't w-worry about me," the pale-eyed girl responded.

Kiba furrowed his brow, but resumed walking with everyone else, passing through the streets of one of Konoha's middle class districts. Merchants noisily advertised their wares, as civilians and shinobi milled about. Street performers danced and entertained for coins, while a few old men sat in the shade, playing shogi…

"GANG WAY!"

And a familiar orange-clad blond barreled right into Hinata, sending both genin to the ground in a heap.

"Ow, my head… Huh? Hinata-chan! I'm sorry! You okay?"

Hinata gazed up into the wide, concerned eyes of her crush, and felt her face burn in a blush. She began to have trouble breathing as she became aware of their (somewhat scandalous) position.

_Naruto-kun is on top of me… Naruto-kun is on top of me… Narutokunisontopofme-!_

"HEY! GET THE HELL OFF HER, DEAD LAST!"

Naruto was roughly yanked away from Hinata. Inside, the girl felt both relief and anger at this turn of events. She soundlessly accepted Shino's hand up as Kiba and Naruto began to argue.

"Watch where you're going next time, moron!"

Naruto growled back at the dog-like nin, as Akamaru barked angrily at the blond alongside Kiba.

"Don't call me a moron, dog-breath!"

"It-its okay, K-Kiba, I'm f-fine," Hinata said quietly. Kiba would have continued his yelling, if not for his sensei clearing her throat loudly.

"Hinata is fine, Kiba. No harm done." The red-eyed jounin turned to the glowering Naruto.

"And you, Naruto, should be far more careful." The blond sighed.

"Right, sorry, um… Kurenai-sensei. But I've got to deliver these letters and fast." Naruto indicated the pack he was carrying. Kurenai nodded.

"Well then, off with you." Naruto nodded and smiled at Hinata.

"Sorry about that again. See you later, Hinata-chan!"

With that, Naruto headed off, ignoring the glares and glowers being sent his way by the people on the street. Hinata blushed and twiddled her fingers a bit.

"All right! Let's get going again," Kurenai interjected. Hinata started and nodded, picking up her box and resuming her trek. Kiba walked alongside her, looking concerned.

"Hey, sure you're okay Hinata-chan?"

Hinata nodded and smiled. It was noticeably brighter than her previous ones.

"I-I'm f-f-fine! Really!"

Shino raised a single eyebrow at this. Kiba noticed and shrugged, his expression one of exasperation. Kurenai smiled slightly as they continued their trek.

_She was just bowled over by Naruto, and she's happier for it… This could prove interesting…_ Kurenai smirked evilly.

_Not to mention that it would make her bastard father blow a gasket…_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto sighed and looked at the last letter in his pack. The woman who had requested the mission had needed extra help delivering mail across town. The blond had been a bit surprised at her kind manner towards him. It turned out she'd only recently moved to Konoha, and so didn't know about him.

_Yet,_ he thought, a bit glumly. This wouldn't be the first time he'd met someone new to the area, got along with fine, and then found those people turned against him by the other villagers.

Naruto looked up at the wooded path leading up a ridge. It was in one of the more forested areas of Konoha, and near one of the larger training fields. Naruto checked the address on the letter.

"Why does she want to mail out all these contest offers anyway? She's not rich," the blond ninja mused as he hiked the path up slowly. He came to an open space in the wood, the forest canopy stretching out over the area and casting the place into dappled shadows.

Naruto grimaced, suddenly feeling a mild chill in the air. He felt a mental nudge, usually only felt when the Keyblade was out…

And then he saw movement. A patch of shadow moved between the spots of sunlight. Another and another and another… Familiar monsters rising from darkness.

"Crap," Naruto muttered, stuffing the last letter back into his pack before summoning the Keyblade. He took a good, three-hundred and sixty degree angle survey of the area.

They were all around him, twitching, jerking, hungry yellow eyes glowing in the shade The _silence_ was as unnerving as their appearance, because they reminded Naruto of fire ants. Fire ants that had once been set into his apartment by a disgruntled villager. Even now he could remember the hordes of insects scurrying, crawling, seeking him out…

But that was then, and this…

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_ A dozen Narutos appeared among the dark creatures and as one, slashed through the little beasts. Several hopped high above the strikes, only to be caught as Naruto as his clones leapt into the air, striking them down. Naruto was glad to see that his copy's Keyblades worked just as well as the original against these things.

Naruto landed from his jump, spinning around and taking three of the creatures out at once. He cursed as one of his clones went down to some of the monsters, poofing out of existence. The dark creatures sat still for a moment, as though confused, which allowed two other clones to cut them down.

Naruto tumbled backwards to avoid another creature's pounce, and thrust his Keyblade through it. The thing dissolved into dust, but even so more creatures began to appear. Naruto glowered and created a dozen more clones.

It soon devolved into a hack and slash routine. Over and over, Naruto's clones easily dispatched the monsters, and yet more and more kept appearing. After fifteen minutes, Naruto was about to make a clone to go find help, as he wasn't sure he could keep these things contained for much longer… When they all vanished.

"Huh?" Naruto panted, looking around. His remaining clones did the same.

"Yo, Naruto."

"GAH!" Naruto shouted, turning and throwing his Keyblade as hard as he could at the voice. Though chakra boosted, the speaker had little difficulty avoiding it. Naruto gaped as he stared at Kakashi. The copy nin stared back, his single eye showing an almost bemused expression.

"Sakura's found the cat, and Sasuke is… Done with his special training. Are you finished?" Naruto took a deep breath.

"Um, almost… I just…"

_I was attacked by numerous dark creatures that wanted to eat my soul? Yeah, that'll go over well…_

"Looks like you were fighting a rather fierce battle," Kakashi observed dryly. Naruto smiled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Um… Well, I decided to, um… Get some extra training in! You know… Um… Because to be honest, these missions really suck." Kakashi raised his single visible brow, and shrugged.

"Well, since we have to go to the mission office anyway, I'm sure we can find something more exciting right?" Naruto nodded.

"That sounds great, Kakashi-sensei… Anything's gotta be better than _this!_"

Kakashi chuckled a bit as Naruto shoved the last piece of junk mail into the mail box, and they headed back for the village proper.

Emerging from a burst of dark fire, a tall woman watched them go. Dressed in black, spiky robes, with a horned headpiece and green tinged skin, she exuded a menacing air that dominated the atmosphere. Tapping her tall, green-orb tipped staff on the ground next to her, she waited. A black crow appeared, cawing before landing on the orb.

"Much sooner than we anticipated, my dear," she spoke quietly, regally, with an ethereal tone. The crow cawed in acknowledgement, as the woman frowned.

"We will have to accelerate our plans… Watch him," she ordered. The crow bowed, before taking off for the village. The woman lingered a moment longer, before vanishing in a plume of dark fire in much the same way she had appeared.

Down the ridge, Kakashi paused and turned back, looking over his shoulder. Under his mask, he frowned. Naruto blinked and turned back curiously.

"Kakashi-sensei? Something wrong?"

The silver-haired jounin turned back, and shook his head.

"Nothing, Naruto." Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed as he traced the flight of a black bird in the clear blue skies above.

"Nothing at all…"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Shorter chapter than the others, but I really want to get into the Zabuza Saga already. It starts next chapter. Haku's status is still undecided._

_Hell yeah! Maleficent makes her first appearance. Along with her crow Diablo. Expect to see more of her in upcoming chapters. The other villains who are part of the "Heartless Council" won't be appearing for a while yet though._

_Still torn on when Donald and Goofy show up. For the first encounter with Itachi, or at the Valley of the End battle? My outline is down to those two possibilities._

_Okay, the reviewer who correctly figured out the reference last chapter was Dreads. The reference was to the Ranger-mobile from Chip and Dale's Rescue Rangers. Therefore, he/she got to choose the anime cameo for this chapter. I may do this again in the future, but too many cameos detracts the story so I'll be using them at my discretion._

_As always, I ask that you review honestly. Tell me if I'm doing well or if I am completely sucking up the story. _

_Preview for Chapter Eight:_

"_Feh… This is my escort? They don't look like much… Especially the stupid-looking midget with the giant toy."_

"_IT'S A KEYBLADE YOU BASTARD!"_


	8. Wave Country Mission, Part 1

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit. _

_Author's Note:__ On the Zabuza Saga/Wave Country Arc: In order to not get bogged down here, I am going to get through it as quickly as possible. Therefore, we are going into rapid exposition mode for all but the important/non-canon scenes. _

_Overall, the Wave Country Arc will last at most three chapters, if I can't fit it into two. _

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oh, thank you so much for rescuing my cat!" The Daimyo's wife gushed, rubbing her chubby cheeks against her screeching cat's. Naruto looked over his other teammates.

Sasuke had a surly scowl on his face, and his eye would twitch at regular intervals. Sakura's long pink hair was mussed, her forearms were covered in scratches, and she could not stop deathglaring the cat as though trying to set it on fire with her mind.

_That would be a cool jutsu_, Naruto absently thought, as the Daimyo's wife placed her payment with the Hokage sitting at the missions table. Numerous aides worked the desk, filing paperwork. Iruka sat next to the Hokage, and gave the blond a smile as he caught his eye. Naruto managed a smile back, as the Hokage looked up from whatever paper he was scrutinizing.

"Well, well, not bad Team Seven. Two missions a week so far. Care to try for three?"

The Hokage rummaged through a stack of papers and pulled out one sheet.

"Ah, this looks good. Little Mihama Chiyo is having her birthday party-"

Sasuke paled even more than usual at this.

"No," the Uchiha stated quickly. Naruto failed to stifle a snicker as Sasuke glared at the Hokage, then him, then the room in general. Sakura nodded tiredly with her crush.

"Very well," the Hokage said with a small smile, "the Nabeshin's dog got away and-"

"No! No thank you! Uh uh! HECK NO!" Naruto exploded, the horror of the last time they went to retrieve a pet coming back to him. Sasuke and Sakura nodded furiously as Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Look, Old Man, can't you give us something better? We've been training our butts off for over a month¸ and we're sick of the D-Rank Missions! _C'mon_!"

_I have to agree. These missions are a waste of my time_, Sasuke thought.

_He has a point, but does he have to yell it so loudly?_ Sakura mentally sighed.

"Naruto! Don't be disrespectful to the Hokage!" Iruka bellowed, standing up and shaking his fist.

"But these missions suck! C'mon, we can handle a better one! Right, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto looked to his instructor hopefully.

The Hokage frowned and looked questioningly at Kakashi, who shrugged.

"Well, they have improved… Somewhat," Kakashi responded, giving Sakura a significant glance. The pink haired girl winced, as the Hokage looked thoughtful.

"Hmm… Well, there is a C-Rank mission available… An escort mission, to Wave Country-" Naruto whooped.

"OH YEAH! We'll take it, Old Man Hokage!" The blond ran forward and grabbed the mission info packet from the Hokage, while Iruka sighed at his favorite student's lack of manners.

"So, who are we escorting," Naruto eagerly asked. "A princess? A famous actress?"

The blond summoned the Keyblade and began to swing it about excitedly, as the Hokage merely smirked.

"Him," Hokage pointed to the door. Naruto turned with a grin… Which immediately devolved into a face fault at the dirty-looking old man standing in the entrance.

""Feh… This is my escort? They don't look like much… Especially the stupid-looking midget with the giant toy."

"IT'S A KEYBLADE YOU BASTARD!" Naruto bellowed. Kakashi sighed and grabbed onto the hood of Naruto's jacket, keeping the cursing blond from running their client through.

"Er, hello," Sakura said politely, as Sasuke just glared. The old man burped, and took another swig of alcohol.

"This is Tazuna, a bridge builder-" The Hokage began, but Tazuna interrupted.

"_Master_ bridge builder," he corrected. The Hokage looked as though he were resisting the urge to roll his eyes.

"_Master_ bridge builder, who is on his way home to Wave Country. Escort him there and make sure he arrives safe and sound."

"Sure I can't get a few chuunin? I mean, what good are these punks gonna be?" Tazuna complained. Naruto growled, and Kakashi moved to restrain him again.

"That's rich, coming from an old drunk!" The blond taunted.

"Why you little brat! If you were a few years younger I'd throw you across my knee and tan your hide!" Tazuna replied angrily. Naruto smirked back.

"Sorry, I'm not into men, you old pervert!"

Kakashi sighed as Naruto and Tazuna continued to bicker, Sakura watched while obviously trying not to laugh, and Sasuke just scowled.

"Right then," Kakashi spoke, bringing the argument to a halt. "Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura-Go home and pack for a long-duration mission. Meet me by the main gates in fifteen minutes, we're leaving immediately. Oh, and Sakura? Don't bring any makeup. Looking good in battle is not going to help." The pink-haired girl flushed, glaring at him as a few of the Hokage's aides snickered.

"Not like she needs makeup to look good though," Naruto laughed. Sakura growled even as her blush intensified. It was all the warning the blond got.

"OWWW! SAKURA-CHAAAN!"

_Why does this have 'long mission' written all over it?_ Kakashi asked himself.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Four days later, Kakashi knew the answer.

The team's trip had been rather uneventful up to the point they crossed the Fire/Water Country border. Tazuna had been a near-nervous wreck the whole way, alternating between grumbling about his escorts and getting into shouting matches with Naruto.

Sakura had stuck to Sasuke near-constantly, chattering happily to her crush about seemingly anything and everything that came to mind. The Uchiha, predictably, had tuned her out as much as possible during the day, while practicing with his new blade at night. Naruto had asked to trained with Sasuke, but the Uchiha had declined flatly, so Naruto had spent much of his time sending out Kage Bunshins to patrol the area, or fighting them.

On the fourth day, however, their routine changed dramatically when a pair of Mist ninja attacked, "killing" him and immediately splitting up to strike both Naruto and Tazuna.

Fortunately, the two missing ninja weren't prepared for Naruto's new weapon or Sasuke's increased training, and they were able to hold them off long enough for Kakashi to get in behind them and knock them out.

He'd had his genins and Tazuna leave him alone with the two tied up ninja, and after a rather… creative use of genjutsu, they were willing to spill everything about their mission, their boss, and the fact that they were both virgins.

That last one, Kakashi hadn't needed to know.

Still, the rest of their information had been useful… And Kakashi had confronted Tazuna with it.

"You _lied_ about who was after you. Gato, the crime lord," the silver-haired jounin had accused. Tazuna gulped at the killer intent being directed at him.

"I… I didn't have enough money for an A-Rank mission… And this bridge-!"

"I hope you're proud of yourself, really, because if my students weren't as good as they are, you would have had the deaths of three children on your conscience," Kakashi had replied coldly. Sakura had looked a little pale (actually, she'd been pale ever since she'd seen Kakashi "killed"), but both Sasuke and Naruto swelled up in some pride.

"Well, look… Please… This isn't just about me! It's about my country, my people! They need this bridge built, otherwise Gato's oppression will continue! You know about it, right?"

At Kakashi's nod, Tazuna continued.

"Please, I know I can't pay you more but if you _do_ this, you'll be helping an _entire_ nation! Thousands of people are counting on me! If you abandon me…" Tazuna bit his lower lip and backed off, looking away.

"So… This bridge is your hope," Kakashi murmured thoughtfully, before he turned to his students.

"Well, how about it? This mission's no longer C-Rank… It's at least B-Rank or more. There will be more missing ninja coming after Tazuna, probably more powerful than those two we faced before. There is a very good chance some of you might not come back alive."

Sasuke snorted, as Naruto smirked.

"I'm in," the Uchiha explained. Naruto nodded, leaning his Keyblade back against his shoulder.

"Me too! I mean… This _is_ what we wanted… And I'm not going to back down from a challenge!"

Kakashi turned to Sakura, who was wrenching her hands.

"You can probably make it back to Konoha on your own from here," the cyclopean ninja stated, not unkindly. Sakura bit her lip, before shaking her head.

"I… I'm in too," the pink-haired girl said nervously. Kakashi nodded.

"Well then… Let's go, shall we Tazuna? I think we both have missions to complete."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The hideout of Zabuza Momochi was isolated in the cold bogs of Northern Water Country. The trees grew thick here, blotting out the sun overhead and casting the area into everlasting shadows. The thick mists and dangerous animals roaming the forest added to its mysterious and supernatural aura.

But this did not matter to Zabuza. He was the Demon of the Mist, after all. The conditions of Northern Water Country were perfectly suited to his method of fighting and killing, allowing him to turn the forest into his personal hunting ground.

Into this place, came Gato. Zabuza snorted at the two samurai serving as the crime boss's escort, as he reclined in his throne-like chair. Haku, his partner and apprentice, stood at his side, white hunter-ninja mask concealing the younger ninja's face.

"My sources tell me that the two you sent after the old man were defeated," the rodent-like Gato sneered. "By a group of _children_ and their _teacher._ Now, what were the words you used to describe this mission to me, hm? 'Easy', I believe, was _one_ of the words. 'No challenge.' And yet, Tazuna still lives. Exactly what is wrong with this picture?"

Zabuza rolled his eyes, shifting in his chair slightly. Hidden from Gato's view, the two Demon Brothers (said defeated ninja) were clearly frightened at the shipping magnate's words. The Demon of the Mist mentally sighed.

"I talked with them… And the old man's gotten himself some unusually strong escorts for his money. Have you heard of Hatake Kakashi?"

Gato's eyebrows raised.

"The jounin of Konoha? Surely two chuunin could handle him! "

"See, this is why _I_ am a ninja, Gato, and you are not. Actually, there are _several_ reasons why, but the point is. Hatake Kakashi is a legend, among the best ninja ever produced by Konoha. They're the _superpower_ for a reason."

"So, he is too much for you, then?" Gato sneered. Haku tensed, but at a hidden signal from Zabuza backed down. Zabuza leaned forward only a little.

"No… Merely a rare challenge for me. He will fall, the old man will die, and you pay me. End of story." A sudden movement from a window caught Zabuza's attention… But, seeing that it was simply a black crow swooping in, the Demon of the Mist relaxed. He was still somewhat puzzled when it dropped a note into Gato's hands and flew off. Gato opened the letter and scanned it, a disgusting smirk emerging on his rat-like face.

"Oh, one more thing," Gato added, folding the note up and sticking it into his expensive-looking coat pocket. "One of the genin with Tazuna… A business relation of mine has an… Interest, in him." Zabuza raised a hairless brow.

"Yeah? So?"

"So, in return for his elimination, I am willing to… Oh… Triple your pay." Zabuza felt like widening his eyes in disbelief, but his training kicked in and kept his face impassive.

"Oh? And what's so important about this kid?"

"He bears an item of great value to my associate… Get it for me, and I can ensure that you and your crew will live comfortably for the rest of your lives." Zabuza frowned.

"Fine… Who is this brat then?" There was a strange aura from the crime boss, one that caused an emotion in Zabuza. One he hadn't felt in so long, that it took a moment to identify it.

_Fear_. A fear that seemed to tighten around him as Gato grinned and spoke.

"His name is Uzumaki Naruto…"

_- - - - - - - - - - - - -_

Another day traveling brought them to Wave Country at last, and after the boatman dropped them off on a secluded shore, Team Seven and Tazuna began the trek for the old man's village. As they reached the main road, Naruto froze, hand twitching. Kakashi paused and looked back at his blond student.

"Naruto? What is-?" The Keyblade flashed into existence in his hand, just as the Copy Ninja heard a whistle.

"DOWN!" Kakashi roared, and the group dropped, Tazuna shoved to the ground by Sakura, as a huge sword flew overhead. It embedded itself in a nearby tree, as a tall, balck and bandage-clad ninja dropped to it, standing with his back turned to the group.

"Well, _he_ knows how to make an entrance," Naruto quipped, pushing himself back up to his feet. Sakura helped Tazuna back up, who was grimacing.

"Did you have to push so hard?" The old man complained. Sakura grimaced.

"You're welcome," she muttered. Sasuke merely glared up at the ninja, who was chuckling in a muffled way.

"Hatake Kakashi, the legendary Copy Ninja," the man spoke, turning around and facing them. "This is an honor."

"Momochi Zabuza… The Demon of the Mist. A-Rank missing ninja from Kirigakure," Kakashi returned flatly. "What business do you have here?"

"Nothing personal," Zabuza replied, "but I have to kill the old man… And the blond brat." Naruto gulped a bit as he felt Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna's eyes fall on him, but he tried to remain calm.

"And what interest does Gato have with my student?" Kakashi asked coldly. Tazuna winced and mumbled something about, "not asking about _me,"_ under his breath. Kakashi naturally ignored this.

"I don't ask questions. I'm just trying to make a living," Zabuza explained with a nearly invisible shrug. "Guy's gotta eat, after all."

"Sorry, but it looks like you'll have to go hungry for a little longer," Kakashi stated, as mist rolled in. The jounin lifted up his headband, revealing his other eye to be blood red and dotted black. Sasuke gasped, as Naruto stared in confusion.

_That's… The Sharingan? How does Kakashi-sensei have it? _Sasuke thought.

Zabuza chuckled darkly, his laugh seemingly coming from all directions as he vanished from view.

"Really? And what chance do you think you have against me, even with that fancy eye of yours?"

"Defensive formation D," Kakashi whispered. The genins surrounded the old man on three sides, Sasuke drawing his chokuto and holding it out in a ready position, as Naruto did the same with his Keyblade. Sakura drew a kunai, looking around frantically.

The sound of steel clashing against steel filled the air, and the mist rolled a bit enough for Kakashi to be revealed, blocking Zabuza's massive blade with a kunai.

"Sensei!" Sakura cried out, as Naruto and Sasuke growled.

"You're making this _too_ easy, you know," Zabuza laughed from all directions again, the eerie echo combined with his killing intent sending a chill down the genin's spines. Tazuna, having faced killing intent like this before, was able to keep standing at least but still trembled.

"I'm sure you've heard of the Mizubunshin," the missing ninja spoke again, and Naruto caught a bit of movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to Sasuke, and motioned with his head back towards Sakura. Sasuke blinked, looked, and frowned back. Naruto pantomimed blowing fire with two fingers held in front of his mouth like Sasuke. The Uchiha smirked and nodded… Before he leapt up into the air and made handseals.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

A massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth and blew through the mist, revealing a surprised looking Zabuza that was instantly hit. At the same moment, Kakashi ducked down and slashed through his Zabuza's stomach, flesh turning back into water or steam in both cases.

"Not bad, for a kid, but not good enough!" Another Zabuza appeared and swung his blade right through Kakashi's torso, ripping a scream from Sakura's mouth… Which abruptly stopped when "Kakashi" turned into water as well. Zabuza chuckled.

"So, this is the power of the Sharingan then," the missing ninja mused… Just before a kunai was plunged into the back of his head by Kakashi. Again, Zabuza dissolved into water, and this Kakashi too was caught by another Zabuza. The mist began to lessen, enough to see the nearby lake clearly enough…

And another Zabuza, holding Kakashi in a ball of glowing water. Kakashi was struggling to break free, as yet another Zabuza stalked towards the genin, creating a pincer move.

"Is this the best you can do?" Zabuza laughed. "You leaf ninja sure have gotten soft…"

"We'll show you soft!" Naruto shouted.

Kakashi grimaced. He'd been tempted to tell the genin to retreat and leave him, but that was apparently no longer an option. They were cut off, he was trapped and being drained of chakra…

Zabuza laughed at Naruto's declaration.

"Oh really? When I was your age, kid, I slaughtered my entire graduating class, _just_ to become a genin. You're just a baby pretending to be a ninja. And soon, you'll just be more blood on my blade to wash off." Naruto growled and rushed one of the Mizu Bunshin, Keyblade swinging.

"Die, you bastard!" This Zabuza clone laughed mockingly and swung his blade. Naruto leapt above the slash and dove like a falcon for the Mizu bunshin's face. The Zabuza clone caught the Keyblade and swung it, easily sending Naruto flying back as he lost his grip.

"DAMNIT!" Naruto cursed.

"_Naruto_!" Sakura cried out.

The clone held up the Keyblade with a scoff.

"_This_ is what that scum wants? Some oversized-?" In a flash of light, the Keyblade vanished from the clone's hand, and reappeared in Naruto's. The orange-clad genin groaned as he got to his feet and glared at Zabuza, who had raised a single, hairless brow.

"…Hrm… Interesting little toy you got there, brat. Where'd you get it?"

"None of your business, you eyebrow-less freak!" Naruto retorted. The blond looked back at his team.

Sasuke was clearly trying to keep up a glare of his own at the missing nin, even though his fear was obvious. And Sakura was trembling so badly she looked as though she might collapse.

_Damnit, we should have trained harder… Wait a minute… That's it! _

"Oi, Sasuke! Remember that time we fought?" Sasuke glared at him for a moment for his stupidity… Before realization flashed in his eyes and a smirk formed on his face. Naruto smirked back. He quickly whispered a few things to the black-haired boy, who then nodded and turned to Sakura.

"Sakura, stay with Tazuna. You'll just get in the way," the Uchiha ordered. Sakura gulped, but nodded, pulling Tazuna closer to her point of the triangle.

"Oh, what, you're going to attack me now, little babies? You should have run when you had the chance," the Zabuzas mocked. Naruto grinned.

"Our sensei taught us that 'those who don't follow the rules are considered trash…but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash'."

"Bah, bunch of touchy feely nonsense," Zabuza snorted. Naruto snarled, rushing towards the Zabuza between the group and the lake. He formed a single hand seal.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_ Three dozen Narutos appeared and swarmed Zabuza, before Naruto turned around for the Zabuza trying to attack Sasuke, Tazuna, and Sakura from behind.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"_ Two dozen Narutos charged the other Zabuza, just as his first platoon dogpiled the first Zabuza clone. A moment later, all of the orange-clad ninja were knocked away, tumbling to the ground or water and poofing away into smoke. This Zabuza charged the remaining Naruto, who stood perfectly still as his other platoon rushed past Sasuke and charged the rear-attacking Zabuza. Sakura's breath hitched as the missing ninja swung for Naruto.

"NARUTO!" She shrieked, as the blade ripped Naruto cleanly in two. Even so, the blond boy was smirking as he fell apart… And burst into smoke.

"What the-?" This Zabuza started, but was interrupted as Sasuke Uchiha unveiled two Keyblades in his hands. With a smirk he swung them around and threw them at full strength for the water clone before poofing out of existence himself.

"W-W-What the-?!" Sakura gasped as Tazuna gaped, their attention divided between the new dogpile of Narutos also bursting into smoke. This water clone of Zabuza seemed to smirk beneath his mask… Before noticing that one of the Naruto clones hadn't poofed into smoke, but instead-

"GAH!" This clone shouted, as Sasuke Uchiha leapt up and slammed his chokuto through his chest. Meanwhile, the other water clone had avoided one of the thrown Keyblades, only to discover that another one had been hiding in it's shadow. The second Keyblade changed course to hit the clone and revealed it also had a twin hiding in it's shadow. All three poofed into Narutos and began furiously striking at the water clone, as the fourth and final Keyblade spun for Zabuza.

"Damnit!" He cursed, leaping up to avoid the weapon and still maintaining his grip on the water prison holding Kakashi. The Keyblade spun away, before poofing into one last Naruto, holding the real Keyblade.

"Yah!" Naruto yelled, throwing a chakra-charged Keyblade at full speed for Zabuza. The Water Country ninja cursed as he moved, releasing Kakashi as the weapon sailed past his hand. Naruto fell into the water with a splash, head emerging again as he grinned triumphantly at Zabuza.

"Still think we're brats, huh, you eyebrow-less freak?" The blond taunted. Zabuza would have responded… Had he not had to block a strike from Kakashi. The missing ninja could definitely detect an unpleasant smirk under the Copy Ninja's mask.

Zabuza jumped backwards and started chanting, his hands forming signs faster than could be seen… but somehow, Kakashi was matching them, finger for finger, his red eye peeking from his face like a flame.

"_Suiton_!" they shouted together. "_Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"_

Twin water dragons sprang forth from their bodies, coiling around and attacking each other, collapsing into a giant column of water that was gone in an instant as the two ninja rushed in, their weapons clashing against each other.

_Strange_, though Zabuza. _What's going on?_

He pulled back and circled around, raising one arm high in the air… and Kakashi had done the same.

_My movements,_ he thought. _He's completely _

"reading them," said Kakash.

_WHAT? Did he read my mind? That damn_

"spiral eye is pissing me off?"

Zabuza halted for just a second.

"All you're doing is copying me," he said. "_No bastard mimic can match the real thing!" _

They were his words… but Kakashi had said them at the exact same time. He rallied, and started making the signs again.

"You think you're so smart? You'll never open your copy-cat mouth again!"

He gasped. There, behind Kakashi… was _himself._

_That's… that's impossible. It… it must be a genjutsu!_

Kakashi's sharingan began to rotate around the pupil. "_Suiton_!" he shouted. "_Daibakufu no Jutsu!" _

"IMPOSSIBLE!" a great torrent of water surged out of Kakashi's hands, a giant spiral wave the size of a building. "It's my jutsu… but I can't stand up to it!"

Naruto and the others could barely get out of the way in time… and Zabuza found himself pinned to the tree by kunai. Kakashi was already perched on the branch above him.

"It's over…"

"…how?" croaked Zabuza. "Can you see the future?"

"I see… your death."

Two senbon needles pierced Zabuza's neck and he fell face-first on the ground.

"He was right," giggled a petite, masked figure in the trees. "You're dead."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Update 4/19/07:__ Fixed some grammar and spelling mistakes, changed "Mizugakure" to "Kirigakure" (Village Hidden in the Mist), and extended the fight scene against Zabuza with some inspiration from MingShun. Thanks! _

_Special thanks to Captain Sarcasm, my beta reader and editor. He also wrote the ending to this chapter due to my unexpected burnout on rewriting this scene from the manga. _

_Still undecided as to when Goofy and Donald land. Have entertained the idea of having them land and Ino keeping them in her home secretly, in exchange for teaching her magic so she'll be in the Chuunin Exam finals, but still haven't figured out how to do that. _

_I'm also trying to come up with a kenjutsu (sword technique) for Sasuke to use against Haku in the next chapter. If anyone has a suggestion for such a thing, please leave it in your reviews. _

_Special thanks to A-Kun for encouraging me to get through the Wave Country arc as quickly as possible. Don't worry though, there'll be some definite changes here from the canon that I think you all will enjoy. And if you don't, oh well. _

_Preview for Chapter Nine:_

"_But the heart always knows the way home. It's walking the path that's the hard part." _


	9. Wave Country Mission, Part 2

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ Chapter Two of the Wave Arc. Here's where the changes really begin to become noticeable._

_As to the Haku situation… No matter what happens, you'll still be seeing her again. And she is part of the Harem now. In that she'll be one of several girls after Naruto romantically. Yes Lord Raine, you wish has been granted. Try not to let it go to your head, okay? _

_And no, Sakura will not be part of the harem. _

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

After the mysterious hunter nin had taken Zabuza's corpse away, Kakashi had collapsed from chakra exhaustion. The rest of Team Seven had proceeded to carry the unconscious jounin to Tazuna's home, an old inn in the village. A day later, Kakashi had woken up and startled Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura with the assessment that Zabuza was still alive, given that the hunter nin had not disposed of Zabuza's body right then and there.

Kakashi estimated that Zabuza would be recovered and ready to fight within at least one week, so he'd gotten some crutches and began leading the genin into the woods, to begin training in preparation for the next encounter.

Naruto had been hoping for some cool new jutsu or something like that. What he didn't expect though…

"You want us to climb _trees_ without using our hands?" The blond asked incredulously. "What use is _that?"_

Kakashi eye-smiled, hanging upside-down from a large tree's branches by just his crutches and feet.

"Plenty. Firstly, it gives you the ability to stick to solid surfaces, very useful for a ninja. Secondly, the more chakra you use, over time, the larger your chakra stamina becomes. It's like exercising a muscle-You break it down so it grows back stronger. In addition, this training will improve your chakra control so you don't waste as much chakra."

"Huh? Waste?" Naruto asked. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Idiot! It means that you won't keep overloading your jutsus with so much chakra that they fail!" Sakura smiled adoringly at Sasuke next to her, who ignored her and looked on with something close to interest at Kakashi.

"Not only does Sakura understand Chakra, she knows how to control and maintain it as well. We talked about _someone_ becoming Hokage one day, didn't we? Seems like Sakura's got the best chance of that, wouldn't you say? And as for the great Uchiha clan...maybe they're not so great after all," Kakashi mused aloud. Sasuke and Naruto deathglared Kakashi the whole way down the tree, until he was standing back on the grass.

"So then, remember to gather just enough chakra to the bottoms of your feet to stick to the tree. Too much and you'll be repelled, too little and you'll fall off. So, get to it!"

Naruto groaned, but made the ram seal and gathered chakra to his feet anyway. He chose the same tree Kakashi had climbed, and stuck a foot onto the trunk. He took another step, then another, then kicked off as he felt himself begin to slip. He landed and grunted irritably, before looking over at his teammates.

Sasuke had made it about ten steps up his tree, slashing where he'd made it before backflipping off and landing in a crouch. Sakura was already in the upper branches, swinging about from branch to branch with ease.

"That's about what I expected from Sasuke...and Naruto," Kakashi said quietly. Grumbling, Naruto pulled out a kunai and started running up the tree again.

_Ten… Eleven… Twelve…_ Naruto stopped and gritted his teeth, focusing on staying glued to the trunk. Unconsciously, the Keyblade flashes into his hand, and suddenly…

"Huh?" Naruto relaxed and stood normally, still stuck to the tree. He grinned.

"Awesome!" The blond laughed, twirling his weapon about with ease on his fingers. Down below, Sasuke glared up at Naruto, and began his dogged climb up the tree once more.

"Naruto! No using the Keyblade!" Kakashi called out. Naruto scowled.

"Aw, c'mon! Why not?"

"Because, if you become too reliant on it, if you lose it you will undoubtedly be defeated," Kakashi stated flatly. Naruto sighed, and dismissed the Keyblade. Rather than trying to run up the tree once more, he focused on staying right where he was. Without the Keyblade's focusing of his chakra, however, it was a _lot_ more difficult.

"Grrr… Guhhh… Woah!" The blond waved his arms, before turning and standing with his right shoulder facing the ground. He leaned up, trying to get some more leverage while still hanging on to the tree.

Kakashi nodded to himself at this, and was pleased to see Sasuke also climb up and try to stay in one place.

_It's definitely less dangerous that way…_ Kakashi turned his gaze to Sakura, who had already made it to the top of her tree and was slowly making her way down.

_As for her…_

"Sakura, that's enough. Come with me, Tazuna should be headed to the bridge by now, and I have some training you can do." Sakura smiled happily and slid to the ground, waving back at Sasuke as she left.

"Bye Sasuke-kun! See you later!"

"What? No goodbye for me, Sakura-chan?" Naruto shouted back. Sakura scowled.

"Fine. Bye to you too, Naruto!"

"Don't I at least get a kiss?" The blond whined. Sakura snarled.

"NOT ON YOUR LIFE, PAL!"

"Awww," Naruto sighed. He turned to glare at Sasuke, who was looking _almost_ amused.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up Sasuke-_chan,"_ the blond teased. Sasuke scowled.

"Shut up, dead last."

"Make me, you emo bastard!"

"Bet I can make it to the top before you can."

"You're on!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura had hoped this 'special training' of Kakashi's would be something fantastic.

_All the better to impress Sasuke-kun with._

_**SHANNARO!)**_

Hauling sacks of cement with the rest of the work crew, while Kakashi-sensei just read his book and relaxed in the shade, was _not_ what she had in mind.

"Damnit…" She huffed under her breath, groaning under the weight of the twenty-pound bag. She toddled up to the cement mixer and set it on the ground with a grunt, wiping her glistening forehead.

"Hey, little girl, what're you doing here?" Asked a rather large-looking worker with a smirk. Inner Sakura bristled, but outer simply smiled politely while trying not to grit her teeth.

"I'm helping. My sensei says it's good training," she got out stiffly. The worker laughed, a few other men joining him.

"_You?_ A little girl like _you?_ C'mon, out of the way, we ain't _that_ desperate." Sakura scowled, and Inner Sakura immediately wanted to punch this guy's lights out…

Then she saw the sixty pound bag next to the worker, and smirked.

_If chakra can be used to stick to objects… Can it also be used to push them away?_ Cracking her knuckles, Sakura walked past the laughing workers and stood before the sixty pound bag. Forming the ram seal, she collected a little chakra into her hands then legs. She gripped the bag, making sure her hands stuck to it with chakra, and then pushed with her legs and chakra against the ground.

The bag came up easily, almost flying out of her hands, but Sakura kept her grip and held the bag up. She turned around at the fact that the laughter had stopped. Now only dropped jaws filled the silence.

"Where would you like this?" Sakura asked sweetly. Tazuna, having heard the commotion (and now as gob smacked as his workers) pointed to the mixer. Sakura nodded and ripped the bag open like she would a bag of chips, before pouring it all into the spinning machine. She discarded the bag, panting a bit as she felt a slight burn inside herself.

_What the…? Oh. That's chakra exhaustion. I'm getting close to my limit already…?_

Some distance away, Kakashi chuckled at the spectacle.

"Keep at it, Sakura! Five more bags like that one!"

"_FIVE?!"_ Sakura screeched back. Kakashi eye-smiled.

"It's five, or no dinner," he stated flatly. Sakura, resigned to her fate, walked over to the pile of cement bags and picked up another sixty pounds.

_Her chakra control is already exceptional, but her physical stamina is practically zero,_ Kakashi mused. _By learning how to enhance her strength with her chakra, she'll build up her reserves much more quickly and be far more useful in the next engagement._

_Which reminds me_… Kakashi sighed and quickly made a water clone, which went off to keep a lookout. He assumed a meditative stance and began to focus his chakra into different shapes and sizes. To his developed senses, his chakra coils were severely "imbalanced" due to the Sharingan eye, which he could not deactivate. It drained chakra fast while exposed, which was why Kakashi had to keep it covered.

After he'd… Received the eye, Kakashi had had to meditate daily to adjust his chakra control to compensate for having the Sharingan. However, after retiring from ANBU, he'd reduced the meditation sessions to weekly exercises. Then monthly.

Rather than beat himself up for his carelessness, Kakashi was determined to get back into 'shape'.

The next encounter with Zabuza, the jounin vowed, would be the last.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_The darkness swept over everything. Lands, seas, towns, castles…_

_Everything, everyone in its path was consumed. _

_At first they'd thought it was Kuja again, the resemblance between himself and the creatures so close it couldn't be coincidence…_

_But the monsters knew no limits, obeyed no masters. No army, no spell, no Eidolon could stop them._

_And in the end, the little boy mage, out of magic, out of life, fell before the darkness. But, instead of empty, dark oblivion… He heard the sound of birds chirping. Wind in leaves high above him. Scattered sunlight, sprinkling kisses of warmth on his shaded face._

_The boy opened his eyes. He saw green… How long had it been that he'd seen green? The darkness had consumed everything he thought…_

_His blurry vision alerted him to a patch of yellow above a purplish blob, entering some kind of clearing. The scent of wildflowers filled his nostrils as the breeze blew against his face. The being seemed not to notice him, bending over and picking more flowers nestled at the foot of the trees. His vision cleared, and he saw a girl, dressed in purple and fishnet, bandages wrapped around her forearms, legs, and torsoe._

_Was she injured? She didn't look injured…_

_His tired senses soon gave him more information to work with. She had magic-He could feel it from here. Not as great as his, no doubt, but the signature left no doubt in his mind this would and could change. She was physically fit, and by the pouch clanking softly at her side, she was armed._

_She seemed like a warrior… Which is why he wasn't too surprised when, as a number of shadows that had destroyed his world emerged, she dropped her flowers and let loose with throwing knives, leaping and gracefully avoiding their hungry claws._

_But her weapons were useless-They were only steel. The mage knew what it would take to stop these creatures…_

_Tiredly, he felt for his staff. Calling out weakly to her, she gaped. He looked like the monsters, true, but she had to, _needed_ to know he _wasn't_ one of them._

_So he threw her the spare staff, and croaked out._

"_Point and think _'Fire!'_ Quickly!"_

_The girl caught the weapon easily and, though her face was incredulous, she held out the staff and focused. The boy mage could sense the magic in her being focused by the staff, turning energy into flame as her will merged with the weapon…_

"_FIRE!" With a roar, a blast of flames issued from the staff and blew apart the creatures, returning them to the darkness from which they came. The girl sagged in shock (and, no doubt, magical fatigue, given what his senses were telling him), before slowly, cautiously, edging towards the mage, staff pointed at him._

" _Who are you?" She demanded. Though clearly shocked and tired, her spirit kept her words harsh. The boy mage was reminded of another blond he'd known…_

"_Vivi Ornitier. Um… Thank you for saving my life."_

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ino blinked, staff still held at the little… Boy? Creature? Vivi's head.

"Uh… No problem," she got out, a little confused. "You okay?"

Vivi nodded, his dark face and glowing yellow eyes dipping slightly under the wide brim of his tan, pointed hat.

"If you don't mind… Me asking… Where am I?"

Ino blinked.

"Konoha… Land of Fire… Eastern Continent…?" She tried. Vivi shook his head, eyes narrowed as though in a frown.

"Er… This isn't Terra, is it?"

"Terra? Is that a… Country? Village?"

"Planet," the boy said. Ino's jaw dropped.

"_Planet?!"_

Vivi winced.

"Um, yes."

"Wait. Wait a minute. You're telling me… Wait… Then that means…! You're space invaders!" Ino gasped. Vivi shook his head rapidly.

"No! No, no, no! No, I'm not! I mean, those things, _they_ are, but not _me._ I'm not _invading_ anything, really!"

Ino frowned, staff still trained on Vivi's head.

"Oh yeah? Then what were those things? And why did they look like you?"

Vivi sighed, going a little more limp.

"I dunno… They… Took my world… Consumed it… And now I'm here…"

"Hey, hey, hang on! Are you okay?" Ino asked, bending down and trying to feel for a pulse. Vivi's eyes closed a little more.

"So tired…" He yawned, before his eyes winked out entirely. Ino yanked off his hat, and gaped at the fact that Vivi's head was _all black._ It was almost like he was the victim of a horrible burn… Only the skin beneath Ino's hands was smooth and, well… Skin-like.

_An alien. He's an alien. Has to be. Damnit, why did I watch those stupid movies with dad?_ Ino mentally cursed. She could at least pick up a pulse, which (hopefully) meant that Vivi was okay. Ino knew squat about aliens, but that _was_ a heartbeat she was feeling.

"Well… I can't just leave you here," the blonde decided. She put his hat back on and lifted the small boy onto her back.

"So, if anyone asks, you're a big, stuffed toy I found, allright?" Ino asked, a small smile on her face.

_Snore_, went Vivi. Ino blinked.

"… Okay… Guess aliens have to sleep too…" She tucked the staff into her belt, fingers lingering on the handle. The sensation when she'd _willed_ fire to shoot from the staff… Her chakra seemed to _sing_ in her body. Ino had never felt anything like it, so amazing, so… _Powerful._

And apparently, in the hands of an alien. Wizard. Vivi. Maybe he was a Vivi in addition to it being his name?

"Well… Whatever you are, Vivi Ornitier… Welcome to Konoha," Ino said quietly, as she set out for home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto panted, pausing only a moment… Before rushing back up the trunk.

_Thirteen… Fourteen… Fifteen… Sixteen…_

Naruto felt his chakra become unbalanced, and fought the urge to summon the Keyblade.

_Twenty… Twenty-two… Twenty-three-!_

He lost control. Naruto slashed the tree with his kunai before falling back down, landing in a crouch. Panting, he looked over at Sasuke's tree and gritted his teeth.

_He's still climbing, that's impossible!_ Naruto thought angrily.

Meanwhile, Sasuke marked off his progress and landed back to Earth as well. Scrutinizing Naruto's tree, he bared his teeth in a silent snarl.

_He's catching up to me, little by little…_

The two genin glared at eachother.

"You… Damnit, how are you getting so good so fast? Are you using that stupid weapon of yours?" Sasuke demanded. Naruto growled.

"No, I'm not!"

"Then how the hell are you catching up to me?!" Sasuke snarled. Naruto glared right back.

"Because I'm _working hard, _dumbass! We're not all _geniuses,_ you bastard!"

They resumed glaring at each other, before resuming the climb. Well into the night, they climbed, until finally, they both reached the tops of their trees. Naruto stared over at Sasuke, who stared back… Before bursting into laughter.

Sasuke just smirked back.

"Looks… Like a tie, huh bastard?"

"Hn…" Sasuke replied.

The two got to the ground, and staggered off, together, in silence. When they got to the inn, Naruto collapsed in exhaustion before being able to have dinner, leaving Kakashi to set him on the couch while the others went to bed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Whack!_

"Damn!"

_Whack!_

"GAH! Damnit!"

_WHACK!"_

"DAMNIT!"

_CRACK!_

The tree had been a very young oak, sitting near the edge of the forest near Tazuna's home. It was broken about three feet above the ground, top bowed to the grass as though in reverence to the one who had felled it.

Sakura didn't notice this. She just winced.

As Tazuna couldn't spare any lumber for this next part of Sakura's training (his daughter Tsunami and his grandson Inari already requiring the wood to survive), Kakashi had directed the pink-haired girl to some small trees and told her to start honing her strength-enhancement. By punching said trees.

_Trees._ With her _bare knuckles. _For _three whole days now,_ in addition to the 'training' at the bridge! And Kakashi-sensei expected her to do this for a whole _week?!_

Sakura groaned, collapsing to her spandex-covered bottom, as she tiredly looked at the setting sun. She then looked at her bloody knuckles wrapped in stained bandages dismally.

"Damnit," she muttered again. She'd asked Kakashi-sensei if she could kick the trees, but no-He'd said she had to "toughen up first".

And how was she supposed to attract Sasuke's attention with _bruised, oversized knuckles?!_

"Damn that…" She seethed, imagining driving her fist into that smiling, masked face. That was one benefit to going through this training, she reflected evilly.

"Um, Sakura-chan?" Sakura jumped back to her feet, prepared to defend herself… Then relaxing, as she saw it was just Naruto.

"Yeah, Naruto?" She bit out, fatigue making her words sharper than usual. The orange-clad boy was holding something behind his back.

"Um, it's time for dinner… Tsunami-nee-chan made rice and fish," the blond went on. Sakura frowned. _Why is he so quiet?_

"Right…"

Naruto fidgeted again, before pulling his hands back in front of himself. He held out a package. Sakura blinked as he grinned.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! I almost forgot! This is for you!" Sakura took the package gingerly, before opening it. She blinked and picked out the back, rough pieces of fabric contained within.

"What…?" Naruto grinned as she held up the fingerless gloves.

"I got 'em from a worker while I was on shift guarding the old man. Old leather gloves, guy said he'd used to box with them. I thought, since Kakashi-sensei's had you training like this, you'd like them!"

The blond moved forward, and opened up one of the gloves. Sakura made no move to stop him as he slipped them onto her fingers, one by one, as though playing a baby game with her digits.

The warm, tough leather felt good around her aching knuckles, and she made a fist, smiling as her joints loosened just a bit. Sakura turned her smile to Naruto, who blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"They're… Well… Thank you, Naruto," Sakura spoke, a bit awkwardly. After all, it _was_ Naruto. The loud, brainless, insensitive moron who just _had_ to have a crush on _her…_

Who had just given her a very thoughtful gift.

Naruto beamed happily.

"I'm glad you like 'em! So, c'mon! Otherwise Sasuke'll eat everything before us!"

Sakura scoffed.

"He will not! He's not the one who slurps up ramen like a starving man all the time!"

Naruto darted away, as though to keep out of range of her fists, and grinned foxily at her.

"No, but ramen is the food of the gods! It MUST be indulged in! To not do so is a _crime,_ I tell you!"

Sakura snorted, but still wore a smile as she followed the energetic blond to dinner.

A dinner marked by Inari, Tazuna's grandson, shooting his mouth off as Tsunami served the meal. The boy had apparently suffered in silence long enough.

"Why are you training so hard?! Gato'll just kill you all! It's pointless!" Inari stated shrilly. Naruto finished his bowl of rice before glaring at the small boy.

"You know, you're getting pretty annoying, brat! I'll have you know I'm Uzumaki Naruto! A ninja legend in the making, pal! And I'm not afraid of some sniveling crime lord!" Inari glared back, tiny fists at his sides.

"What would _you_ know about hardship, huh?! You're always laughing and smiling! You don't know what it's _like_ to live a rough life! You've got it easy!"

A deathly chill fell over the table, as Naruto slammed his chopsticks down. Sakura felt fear grip her heart, and some part of her mind noted analytically that this was _killing intent_.

Sasuke, Kakashi, everyone _stared_ at Naruto as he glared so hatefully, so _angrily_ at Inari, the little boy was shaking violently, eyes wide. A hint of red seemed to emerge from Naruto's eyes, as though the irises were trying to decide on a color.

"_I've_ had it easy? I've _had it easy?!_ You don't know _squat,_ _you little brat._ Listen to yourself whining and complaining like some sorry little _victim_. You can whimper all day for all I care! You're nothing but a _coward_!"

With that, Inari got up from his chair and ran off, leaving a seething Naruto.

"That little…!"

"I'm sorry about that," Tazuna spoke. "It's just… His father…"

After Tazuna and Tsunami told all assembled about Inari's father Kaiza, Naruto shook his head and muttered something about more training as he walked out. Sasuke said nothing, just stared at the empty chair and plate the blond left behind.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto had summoned the Keyblade quite some distance away from the house, in a small clearing, and proceeded to create as many Kage Bunshins as he could.

With every slash, parry, and attack, he tried to forget the feeling that had risen inside him at Inari's statements.

It had felt… Like pure _rage._ Not quite his own. It just seemed like anger turned into liquid, bubbling up inside him. The memory of what the Third Hokage had told him came to mind:

"_Naruto… The Keyblade is tied to your soul, and life force, and therefore your chakra. And, right now, the Kyuubi's demonic chakra is boosting your own, just as the seal was designed to do. But… In time, its influence on you may grow."_

"Great… Stupid furball," Naruto cursed. After slaughtering the majority of his clones, he had the remaining ones and himself start climbing the trees again. He may have been exhausted, but he pushed through it, all the while Tazuna's story about Kaiza, the country's hero, echoed in his mind…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku sighed, brushing her long black hair out of her eyes as she picked through the forest. It had been a long night. Zabuza-sama had suffered some complications from the technique she'd used to put him into a coma, and she'd used up all their medicinal herbs and potions to heal him.

What was worse, Gato had come (again) to berate Zabuza-sama (again). Haku had been _so_ tempted to put senbon through his eyeballs. His samurai bodyguards barely qualified as _meat shields_, they'd be dead before they could…

_Hm?_ Her senses detected a rather low-level chakra signature. She frowned, analyzing it as she stealthily headed towards the source.

Her eyes soon came into contact with a blond, orange and black clad boy, lying unconscious near a tree. In one hand, he held a kunai. In the other…

_It's _him, she thought. The boy they'd been assigned to eliminate. _Uzumaki Naruto…_

Haku reigned in her excitement, and carefully considered the situation. He was alone. He was exhausted. The Keyblade was right _there…_

No other significant chakra signatures were nearby. She could kill him right here and the Keyblade… The mission…

She approached, kneeling down next to the boy. She frowned, mentally tracing his features. He was somewhat small for his age, tanned, and a slight baby-face. Whisker-shaped scars decorated his cheeks, three on each side. His spiky yellow hair looked fur-like, and with his ninja headband having come loose at some point in his sleep, gently fell over his forehead.

Her pale fingers slowly reached out, stretching towards the boy's neck. Her training coldly reminded her that a quick snap of the neck, and the boy would die painlessly.

He grimaced, and Haku froze, hand centimeters from his throat.

"I'm sorry… Please…" He murmured in his sleep, and Haku bit her lower lip. Part of her tried to will her fingers forward again…

"I'm not… A monster… Please… I'm sorry," he murmured again, and Haku took a deep, silent breath. Her hand shook once… Before she pulled it back. The _anguish _in the boy's voice…

"You'll catch a cold if you sleep here. Wake up." Haku spoke. The boy stirred, and opened his eyes blearily.

"Who the heck are you? Oh!" The boy blushed at seeing Haku's face.

"Hi there. Who are you? I mean what are you doing out here and all that?"

Haku smiled cheerfully.

"I'm gathering herbs."

"Herbs?"

"Yes, for treating injuries and illness."

"Ah," the boy acknowledged. "I'm Naruto."

"Haku," the girl returned politely.

"So, starting work early, huh _nee_-chan?" Naruto asked.

"I like it early. It's calm, and I didn't think I'd find anyone sleeping out here in the woods," Haku chuckled. The blond smiled.

"I was training… All night… Guess I got carried away," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Hmm? So are you a ninja? Because I noticed that headband you're wearing. Or are you just trying to make a fashion statement?" Haku asked, slightly teasingly. The memory of Naruto's involvement in the battle against Zabuza came loud and clear in her mind.

"You noticed that? Cool! Well… Only _real_ ninja get to wear the-Hey, where'd it go?!" Naruto felt his forehead and his eyes widened. Wordlessly, Haku handed him his handband. The blond chuckled again, as Haku joined him.

"Ah ha, heh… Thanks…"

"So, why are you out here training, Naruto?" Haku inquired. Naruto shrugged, tying his headband back on.

"To get stronger, I guess…"

"Oh? You aren't strong enough?" Haku asked. Naruto shook his head, expressing turning melancholy. Unbidden, Haku felt her heart go out to him. She quickly stamped it down.

"No… Maybe the problem is… Um… I have too much strength… And I don't know how to control it," Naruto spoke, holding the Keyblade up a bit. He glared at the weapon, and Haku regarded it covertly herself.

_Odd, it doesn't look sharp… But it clearly focuses chakra, and with how he can summon it…_

"Too much strength? I'm not sure I understand," Haku spoke quietly. Naruto sighed.

"… I mean… I've been given, well… This great responsibility. This power. And its something that's been used for good, but also… evil. If I don't learn how to control it, it'll… Well, I have no idea _what_ it could do…" Naruto grit his teeth, and Haku bit her lip.

"… You're afraid… It will destroy those precious to you," Haku spoke. Naruto blinked, and turned to her again, nodding.

"Yeah…"

Haku smiled gently, and placed a hand over Naruto's. The boy blushed at this, as Haku locked eyes with him.

"I have found that… If you focus, not so much on your power, but why you use it, and for whom… It's much easier. If you use your power for the protection of those you love, who are precious to you, then controlling it becomes easier. And, more than that, you _become_ stronger for it."

Naruto frowned.

"I… become stronger?"

"Power by itself is only power," Haku spoke, "but power with a purpose, combines with that purpose. For people who are precious to you, you will fight harder and longer to keep them safe, because they in turn give _you_ strength. Understand?"

Naruto nodded, and smiled happily.

"Wow! Thanks, _nee_-chan! You're really smart!"

Haku nodded and smiled. She rose and turned to go… Before looking back over her shoulder.

"Oh, and by the way… I'm really a boy."

Naruto's jaw dropped.

"No… No way…" He murmured in disbelief, as Haku giggled.

"Just kidding!"

Naruto immediately relaxed, and chuckled.

"That wasn't very nice, _nee_-chan."

"It was funny though, wasn't it?" Teased Haku. Naruto smirked.

"Yep… One prankster to another, I can definitely appreciate it… So, can I walk you home, nee-chan?"

Haku smiled and shook her head.

"No… My heart knows the way."

"Huh? Your heart…?" Haku turned away, her smile becoming sad as she departed.

"The heart always knows the way home. It's walking the path that's the hard part…" She replied quietly, leaving Naruto to stare at her back as she vanished.

Some time later, she arrived back at Zabuza's base. Immediately, she sensed a presence in the hideout, and created a senbon with her bloodline limit as she entered.

Zabuza was sitting up, facemask off. She started.

"Zabuza-sama! You shouldn't-!"

"Shut it, Haku," Zabuza stated flatly. He smirked as he held up some oddly-shaped bottles. "That partner of Gato's sent some medicine. Relax, I checked it for poison. This stuff works _wonders…_ Called it an _elixir_, or something… Anyway, get ready. We've got to start planning for the next attack."

Haku thought of Naruto, and her heart felt heavy.

"Very well, Zabuza-sama…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Next chapter is the showdown and end of the Wave Country Arc. _

_I decided that, in order to make Ino become a mage, I couldn't introduce Donald or Goofy because then I'd have to cut out the Tsunade Arc entirely. They'll be appearing at either the end of the Chuunin Exam arc or the Battle at the Valley of the End. _

_On Ino and Vivi: Expect lots of ET references. Sure, it's not Disney, but it's one of my favorite films and the situation fits it._

_Tell me what you guys think of my changes to Sakura and my efforts to render her less useless. _

_Hope Naruto isn't too OOC, but considering his changes and the Keyblade's influence I think he's still pretty much the same hyperactive blond ninja we all know and love._

_Preview for Chapter Ten:_

"_You didn't think it'd be THAT easy, did you? You pitiful insects!"_


	10. Wave Country Mission, Part 3

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ Final Chapter of the Wave Arc. Hope I made things a little more interesting at least. _

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Ino finished her meal with a happy sigh, smiling at her mother across the kitchen table.

"Thanks Mom! That was great!" Yamanaka Yuki frowned and raised a pale eyebrow at her only daughter.

"You've been eating a lot more lately, Ino-chan. Off your diet?"

Ino shrugged casually.

"Well, Asuma-sensei says that I'll burn off any fat on missions, so I shouldn't worry about it. May I be excused?"

Yuki nodded, gathering the dishes and taking them to the sink with a smile. Personally, she was glad her daughter's sensei was getting through to Ino. All of these silly diets and 'fads'-She knew enough about the shinobi world to know that such things would be no help to bringing her daughter back safely. She chewed on her fingernail absently as she listened to her daughter head upstairs to her room, before resuming washing the dishes.

_That's funny,_ she thought. _I could have sworn I laid out more bowls than this…_

Upstairs, Ino closed the door to her bedroom. She pulled out a small box from under her skirt, which she set on the floor… And quickly made a handseal.

"_Kai!"_ _Poof!_ Several potatoes, a bowl of rice, fish, and dumplings emerged, sitting prettily. The blonde looked around.

"Vivi? You there?" She turned to the closet, and frowned. She walked up and opened it, raising an eyebrow at the little mage sitting next to an old, oversized teddy bear.

"Vivi, I've got dinner," Ino sighed. She walked over to the mage and poked him… Blinking in shock as the stock-still figure _poofed_ out of existence.

"Eh?" Ino sweatdropped.

"Oh, hello Ino," Vivi spoke behind her. Ino jumped and turned around, glaring.

"Vivi! Damnit, don't_do_ that!" The little mage laughed nervously.

"Sorry, I just… I was practicing this spell in one of your scrolls and-" Ino blinked.

"Wait a minute… You mastered the _bunshin no jutsu…_ In how long?"

Vivi shrugged.

"A few hours?" Ino gaped. Vivi's yellow eyes became crescents as he laughed nervously again.

"Er, I just… I got bored and-"

"It took me a _year_ to get that jutsu!" Ino exclaimed. She smirked and shook her head, waving her finger at him.

"That's not very fair, Vivi-kun."

The black mage blinked.

"W-Well, um…"

"Now, you have to teach _me_ something," Ino decreed. Vivi blinked.

"Eh? But I already taught you a couple of things…"

Ino sighed.

"Yeah, but… Seriously, a _shrinking _jutsu? What good is that?"

Vivi crossed his arms.

"It lets you _feed_ me… And it's a _spell,_ not a _jutsu,_" the mage scowled. Ino crossed her arms over her chest and scowled back.

"C'mon! I saved you from those… Whatever-they-were! I've kept you hidden in my house for a week now, and fed you! And you know one of my jutsus! Fair is fair, Vivi-san!"

The black mage sighed and adjusted his hat.

"Yes, but it's just that… Well…"

Ino looked expectantly at Vivi. The mage coughed.

"I just… I have enough trouble understanding how my powers work. I don't know if I could be a good teacher…"

"You taught me the 'Mini' jutsu-Okay, fine, _spell,"_ Ino corrected at Vivi's look. "And I could make fire without any training. C'mon! It's not like I'd abuse them!"

"No, but you're a ninja. You, well…" Vivi sighed. "I just… Don't like using my powers on people. And if I taught them to you, I'd have to accept the fact that you'd be using _my_ spells against _other people._"

Ino bit her lip, lowering her arms to her sides. This was something she herself was having difficulty with. Originally, she'd become a ninja because, in all honesty, she wanted to be like her father. Sasuke had entered the equation later, but at the heart of her efforts lay just that-She wanted to carry on her family's legacy.

She wanted to make her dad happy and proud. And her mother too, though her mother would be happier if she stayed at home and became a florist.

Not that she didn't_like_ flowers-She loved them-but at her core, Ino knew she couldn't be happy with just that.

"I know… It's just that…" Ino sighed. _How can I explain this to him when I'm having trouble explaining it to myself?_

Ino decided to just go for it. It was how she was taught, after all.

"Vivi… I'm the weakest member of my team. Chouji has his strength, Shikamaru's a genius, and me, well… I've got nothing, aside from one family jutsu. _One._ And for protecting my friends, it's nearly useless," Ino said quietly. The mage stared at her, glowing yellow eyes for once betraying nothing.

"I don't… I don't want to be useless any more," the blonde went on, matching Vivi's gaze. "I don't want to just… Just stand around, you know?" Ino bit her lip again.

Vivi said nothing, for some time, just staring back… Before nodding with a slight sigh.

"… Okay." The mage rummaged about in his pockets, before pulling out what appeared to be a tiny stick. Holding his staff over it, he mumbled something before it _popped_ into another staff. He handed it to Ino, who looked between it and Vivi's staff.

Vivi's staff was like dull bronze in color and texture, curling upwards in a spiral that ended in a wing-like attachment, arcing upwards away from a deep red orb. When she was close to it, Ino could _feel_ the raw power it contained, buzzing the air around her.

The other staff, however…

"It's… What _is_ that thing anyway?" Ino asked, holding the plain wooden object with some distaste. It's head curled up into itself like a seashell, while it's handle was wrapped in bandages. Vivi tapped it twice with his staff, and Ino was surprised to see it extend nearly twice it's original size, making it more of a quarterstaff to her.

"That is my first staff," Vivi said with a touch of nostalgia to his voice. "It's better tuned to fire-type spells than anything else, which makes it easier to learn on." Ino blinked.

"Huh?"

"Well… Essentially, if you use magic-chakra, I guess-with this staff, you can do fire spells without too much effort, because it _shapes_ your magic-chakra, sorry-into fire, until you can learn how to do it yourself."

Ino nodded in understanding.

"Like training wheels on a bike?"

The mage blinked at her.

"What's a bike?"

Ino sweatdropped.

"Er, nevermind… So… How many staves do you have anyway?"

"Every single one I ever learned a spell on," Vivi said proudly. Ino grinned at this.

"Oh? Bit of a packrat, huh?"

"Well, when you shrink them, they don't take up a lot of room," the mage explained. "Besides, um… My best friend got most of them for me…"

Ino frowned as Vivi trailed off.

"Best friend…?"

The mage nodded.

"Yeah. His name's… His name was Zidane. You remind me of him, actually."

"Oh? Was he good-looking, confident, and all together wonderful?" Ino asked with a smile. Vivi blinked.

"Er… Yes… _Exactly_ like that," the mage replied, thinking that a certain blond boy with a tail was laughing at him from Heaven…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Kakashi had found Naruto konked out after _another_ all-nighter of training furiously, and rather than let him sleep outside (again), he took him into Tazuna's house and put him on the couch. Sasuke and Sakura had finished their morning exercises, and the jounin decided to take them both with him to the bridge with Tazuna. The deadline for Zabuza's counterattack was near.

On their way to the construction site, a low mist covering the area, Kakashi could not help but reflect on how pleased he was with their progress; especially in such a short amount of time.

Already, he could sense that Sakura's chakra reserves had increased considerably, and the crash-course training was already showing in her improved muscle tone. She'd tied that ridiculously long hair of hers into a tight ponytail, which (while not being as short as he'd like) nevertheless was better than letting it go every which way in a fight. Also, the way she carried herself… She was prepared for battle.

_Thank God she's a fast learner,_ the jounin thought to himself… Before mentally facefaulting as she gave Sasuke a lovesick look, which the Uchiha predictably ignored.

_Not as fast as I'd like though…_

Sasuke, Kakashi now observed, had also improved. He was already suppressing his chakra signature, and he could tell by the way Sasuke moved that he was sensing chakra far more acutely than before. His hand was already on the hilt of his sword, and Kakashi looked at him. Sasuke looked back.

_He's here,_ they both thought.

Sakura, looking between them both, frowned as well and discretely got behind Tazuna, looking over her shoulder and listening. She pulled on her gloves as they reached the bridge.

The construction site came into view… And Kakashi cursed his instincts as the bodies of fallen workers came into view.

"What the-! Dosu! Gin! What happened?!" Tazuna exclaimed, rushing forward while Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke kept up, scanning the area.

"Za… Zabuza… He said he was…" One of the workers gasped out, as Tazuna fell to his knees and tried to hold up his head. Kakashi looked forward, eye narrowed.

The mist parted, just enough for two figures to be revealed. Zabuza stared defiantly back at the jounin, a smirk underneath his face wrappings, while the 'hunter-nin' stood at his side, the mask obscuring anything else substantial.

"I see you were expecting me," Zabuza laughed. Kakashi glared back.

"Your friend slipped up," the Copy Ninja observed. Sakura harrumphed.

"He's got some nerve facing us again after pulling that trick..." The pink haired girl growled, glaring at the masked ninja.

"...and hiding behind a mask," Kakashi added. "Who does he think he's fooling?"

Sakura sweatdropped.

"Ahem, speak for yourself, sensei," Sakura noted. Kakashi gave her an eye smile, before turning back to the missing nin.

"Why exactly did you bring the brat pack with you again? They'll just be blood on my blade. The boy is shaking in _fear_ already," Zabuza gloated.

Sasuke smirked, drawing his blade and holding it up.

"I'm not trembling in fear… I'm trembling in _excitement,"_ the Uchiha returned smoothly. Sakura sighed happily, before coughing and quickly assuming a fighting stance. Zabuza laughed at this, as Kakashi shook his head.

"You've made a big mistake, Zabuza," the jounin stated.

"Oh really? And what was that?" The missing nin leered.

"Insulting these ninja and calling them brats. That's sure to bring out Sasuke's attitude, and he's the best young fighter of the Hidden Leaf Village," Kakashi spoke, and Sasuke's smirk widened. He moved forward ahead of the others, sword held in a ready stance.

"Sakura here is our sharpest mind, and _much_ stronger than she looks," Kakashi indicated next, and Sakura smiled unpleasantly, cracking her knuckles.

"And last, but not least, our number-one, hyperactive knucklehead ninja… is Naruto Uzumaki."

Back at Tazuna's house, a certain blond ninja sneezed, groggily beginning to wake up.

"Now then… Shall we begin?" Kakashi asked, kunai already in hand. Zabuza smirked.

"Certainly…"

Leaping over the sides of the bridge, six Zabuza _mizu bunshin_ appeared, surrounding Sasuke. Two more came at the Leaf ninja and Tazuna from behind, swords swinging in unison.

Kakashi turned back, but Sakura was already in motion. The pink-haired girl grabbed Tazuna and (despite the old man's screeching protest) tossed him into the air, before she leapt forward, landing on the dull edge of the first Zabuza clone's sword. In its surprise it didn't react in time to stop Sakura's chakra-enhanced fist smash through it's face, dissolving the whole thing into water.

The next clone charged from the side, but Sakura leapt away, catching the shrieking Tazuna in mid-air. Kakashi dispatched this clone with a single kunai as it gaped, wide-eyed, at the spectacle, and Kakashi turned back once he was sure Sakura had landed with Tazuna safely.

Sasuke had leapt up and taken down one Zabuza clone easily, getting within it's defenses and slashing it's water-filled head off, but not before using it's falling torso to spring back at the one behind him. A kick to the throat crushed this clone's neck, returning him to water once more.

The last three clones charged Sasuke as one, to which Sasuke quickly detached the sheath of his sword and swung it around in his spare hand. Catching the first bunshin's blade and forcing it down, Sasuke jabbed it through the chest, leaping up and back-flipping, landing a twin kick to the faces of the two remaining clones, snapping their necks with a bit of chakra-enhancement to his speed.

Sasuke landed with a flourish, smirking at Zabuza.

"Huh… Not bad, brat," the missing ninja stated. "Haku… Take care of him."

"Yes, Zabuza-sama," Haku stated. With that, the ninja produced two senbon needles and leapt forward, stabbing at Sasuke. Sasuke knocked back the blows, slashing back furiously. Haku evaded or blocked the attacks, backflipping away and throwing additional senbon. Sasuke blocked them, leaping away and landing on the side of the bridge, kicking off and plunging his sword for the missing nin's heart.

Haku leapt away and ran away on the side wall of the bridge, Sasuke pursuing, as Zabuza made his attack against Kakashi.

_Clang!_

"I hope you said goodbye to your student… Because he's not coming back," Zabuza laughed, pulling back and swinging his blade for Kakashi's head. This blow was also blocked by Kakashi's kunai, and the white-haired jounin spun away, making handseals.

"I wouldn't count on it!"

Zabuza grinned beneath the wrappings.

"No one can match Haku! The most skilled Jounin fall before him...just as _you_ will fall before _me!_ RIGHT NOW!" The mist grew even deeper and Zabuza vanished. Kakashi cursed.

"Sakura! Keep Tazuna safe!" Sakura grimaced, but nodded.

"Right!"

"You're not going to throw me into the air again, are you?" Tazuna grumbled. Sakura didn't answer as she herded him off the bridge. She didn't like being surrounded on _two_ sides by water-One side would be much better.

Meanwhile, Kakashi moved forward, baring his Sharingan. The chakra drain began in earnest, but the Copy Ninja adjusted his coils to compensate. While the drain was still fairly significant, it would not limit Kakashi's endurance as much as before.

_He's right; it's time to end this_, the jounin thought grimly, _but __he__ is the one who will fall!_

Unnoticed by anyone on the bridge, a black crow circled high overhead, yellow eyes on the battle…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_I've had some bad mornings, but this…! This is definitely one for the record!_

Naruto rushed out of the house to the sound of Tsunami screaming. The Keyblade had already appeared in his hand, which was as good a sign as any that something_very_ bad was going on.

He'd tracked the screams to the dock near the house, and saw Inari running right at two samurai, holding a bound Tsunami between them. The little boy was screaming as he charged, and the two goons merely grinned, blades coming up to cut down Inari.

Just as they slashed Inari to pieces, however, they found something strange had happened. Tsunami stopped screaming as she saw, instead of the bloody chunks of her son, chopped pieces of a log clattering to the deck.

"You know," began a familiar voice behind the two samurai and single woman, "there are a _lot_ of things I can abide. But killing _kids…_Or hurting _women…"_

The two samurai turned around, to see a single, orange and black clad ninja, smirking at them from underneath blond bangs.

"Just _really_ pisses me _off!"_

The samurai felt blades slamming through their backs, and screamed as they were kicked in the heads into the waves on either side of the dock. Inari looked up in awe as Naruto strode forward, dismissing his kage bunshin with a grin as he knelt down and untied Tsunami. The woman hugged her son and Naruto closely, sobbing happily.

When she let go, Naruto turned to Inari and grinned at him.

"You know, that was_really_ dumb… Brave, but dumb. Good work," the blond complimented. Inari grinned.

"Thank you, Naruto-o_nii_-san!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"No sweat…"

"Naruto, where is your forehead protector?" Tsunami asked. Naruto felt his forehead, and cursed. He searched his pockets, triumphantly retrieving it from his pants.

"Found it!"

Tsunami smiled.

"Well, I have to say Naruto… You look _very_ handsome with it off."

Naruto blinked.

"Really?"

Tsunami laughed.

"Yes, really!"

Naruto shrugged, before tying it onto his right bicep. He grinned as Tsunami nodded encouragingly.

"Thanks Tsunami-_nee_-chan! Now, I've got to get to the bridge!"

And with that, Naruto was off.

He followed the sounds of fighting he heard through the mist to their source, and the first thing he spotted was an undeniably strange sight.

"The _hell?_ Floating… Mirrors?" Naruto mumbled. As he got closer, he could begin to hear Sasuke and another person talking…

_Hey wait… I know that voice…_

Naruto's musings were interrupted as a fireball erupted in the center of the ice mirror dome.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

The fireball hit all of the mirrors, trying to punch through the dome, but to no avail-The mirrors held fast. Naruto kept running, and made several_kage bunshin_, which all leapt through the gaps in the mirrors into the dome.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, as he mentally directed his clones to attack the nearest mirrors. The raven-haired boy was in bad shape, senbon needles sticking out of several spots on his body. His eyes had turned dark red, and glared at Naruto as he approached.

"Oh,_brilliant_. Coming _inside_ the mirrors. _Great_ idea, dead last!"

"Hey pal! Show some gratitude! I came to _save you_ after all!" Naruto retorted. Several _poofs_ alerted him to the fact that his clones had been dispatched, and the blond dodged-rolled forward to avoid a barrage of senbon needles. He looked up and scowled.

_It's the same ninja from before…!_

Indeed, every mirror had one of the 'hunter-ninja' who had spirited Zabuza to safety after their first encounter. Each image began throwing more senbon, and Naruto made several more _kage bunshin_ to try and divide their fire.

Sasuke tiredly tried to deflect several projectiles coming from one side, but more hit him in the back, making him cry out. Naruto put his back to the Uchiha and began spinning the Keyblade at high speed to shield himself and Sasuke from that angle.

"So, any ideas?" Naruto asked.

"Think that Keyblade of yours could punch through one of those mirrors with chakra imbuement?" Sasuke replied, Sharingan eyes narrowed. Naruto frowned.

"Not sure… What have you got in mind?"

"If you can take out enough of this guy's mirrors, I can track his movements and nail the _real_ one," the Uchiha got out. Naruto grinned.

"Gotcha! Leave it to _me_! _Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_ Half a dozen more Narutos appeared and spun up their Keyblades, spinning them to deflect Haku's projectiles in a circle around their creator and Sasuke. Once all of the clones' Keyblades were powered up with chakra, they shouted and let them go at the same time, driving each weapon deep into one of Haku's mirrors. The original Naruto leapt and struck a random mirror, while Sasuke tried to track down the real Haku.

_Almost… Almost…_ The Uchiha thought, leaping into the air.

_Got him!_

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

Another massive fireball left Sasuke's mouth, slamming into a cluster of mirrors Sasuke's Sharingan eyes had tracked the real Haku to. The ice splintered and cracked under the assault, and as the flames died down the senbon barrage stopped.

But not for long, as Naruto's yelp indicated that Haku had escaped _again._ Sasuke cursed and tried to block more needles, but even with the Sharingan he couldn't stop them all.

"OW! DAMNIT!" Sasuke turned around and saw the real Haku among the mirrors facing Naruto, who had already been struck several times. The Sharingan gave Sasuke less of a view of Naruto's chakra pathways so much as his overall chakra signature-And right now, Sasuke could tell Naruto was significantly weakened.

_All that training last night, plus the moves he's had to pull off now…_ Sasuke caught the blurs of several senbon headed for Naruto and _moved._

He raised his _chokuto_to block the projectiles, but the Sharingan showed all too clearly he was late. Sasuke gagged as he felt needles hit his neck and stumbled, blade falling out of his suddenly numb hands. The Uchiha lost his balance as his vision darkened, and could barely feel himself fall into Naruto's arms. The blond's face looked down worriedly at him.

"SASUKE! _SASUKE_!"

"Damnit, idiot… Don't _scream… _In my face_,"_ Sasuke choked out, taking a shuddering breath. A part of his brain noted that these sensations… His darkening vision…

"C'mon Sasuke, what's wrong? You're not going to let a couple of _needles_ take you out, huh? C'mon!"

Sasuke felt himself be shaken, and managed a wry smile.

"You know… I _hated_ you…"

The shaking stopped, and Sasuke made out Naruto gaping at him in disbelief.

"You… I… _Why_ did you…?"

Sasuke coughed, and felt blood drip out of his mouth. Odd, he kind of thought he should be angry as he felt his heart slow down… Instead he felt this unusual tranquility come over him. Itachi's face flashed in his mind, and a sad chuckle left his lips.

"Because… That man...I swore I woudn't die until I killed him, my older brother… thought the oath would save me," Sasuke choked out. Naruto's grip tightened, and Sasuke had to fight the growing numbness to gasp out:

"But you Naruto...don't you dare die! You've… Still got… A dream…"

"_SASUKE!"_

Darkness.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku stared down at the blond boy, clutching the Uchiha to him, head bowed in sorrow. She prepared another senbon barrage… But paused. Again, she felt her heart go out to Naruto, and decided to speak from it.

"He found...he found the strength that he didn't realize he had. Why? Because of a certain person who was precious to him. To save that person, he rushed in, knowing it was a trap. He was a true ninja, worthy of honor," she spoke softly, mournfully.

Naruto let go of Sasuke's body, and it slumped to the cold floor of the bridge. He began to shake. Haku spoke again.

"Is this the first time you have seen a comrade die? I'm sorry, but this is part of the shinobi way. I have killed my kind heart to kill your friend… And if you do not withdraw, I will kill you as well."

"Shut _up…_You… You _bastard…_ You _killed_ Sasuke…!" Naruto snarled, and as he did, Haku's chakra senses began to scream something was_not right._ The Keyblade began to glow bright red, as though a flame were consuming it from the blond's fist gripping its hilt up. As the flames spread, the Keyblade changed shape, the single blade enlarging, widening into a cruel, curved blade. From the hilt sprouted eight smaller, but no less deadly curled blades, two wrapping around Naruto's hand to form a new hilt.

From the pommel of the new Keyblade hung a single chain with a spiraled emblem, which shook as Naruto's aura _flared_ with deadly, red chakra and a horrifying killer intent filled the air. Haku shuddered and held up an arm to shield her face from the backlash, an almost paralyzing fear filling her heart.

_This chakra… It's so dark… I can barely breathe!_

Naruto stood up straight, face becoming visible once more. Haku was shocked to see his formally blue irises burning blood red, the whisker marks on his face deeply defined, and his canines extended and sharpened in his bared, gritted teeth.

_His wounds… They're completely healed…! What _is_ this boy?!_

"I'LL TEAR YOU APART!" Naruto roared, leaping right for her mirror. Haku leapt to another, barely escaping being sliced in half. Naruto kicked off the remains of that mirror, shattering it, as he continued to follow Haku, smashing and destroying every one with his Keyblade.

_His chakra continues to grow! I must strike now!_ Haku thought desperately.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Kakashi paused only for a moment at the familiar chakra spike, and equally familiar killing intent, of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. It was_ just_ long enough for Zabuza to nick his arm, and Kakashi cursed at the pain. He leapt away, putting some distance between the two combatants. Zabuza laughed mockingly as the mist obscured him once more. He moved to try another flanking strike on the Konoha jounin.

"What's the matter, Copycat? Worn out already?"

_Damnit… If the seal is breaking… No, it's only a glimmer of the Kyuubi's power. Even so, I need to end this _now, Kakashi thought. _Good a time as any…_

"Zabuza, I don't mean to spoil your fun. I know how you like to stretch these things out, but how about we put an end to this now? Come on, whaddya say? We're both busy people," Kakashi spoke, with a nonchalance he did not feel.

"Hmm...tempting. I'm curious to see how you intend to back up such brave words! Show me, Kakashi!" Zabuza spoke. Kakashi produced a scroll from his pouch, gathering some blood from the wound on his arm and sliding it down on the paper as he unfurled it.

"Gladly… _Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"_ Zabuza felt and heard a rumble that grew stronger. Looking about, the missing nin could see no enemy… Until he _felt_ and heard a gigantic mass explode from the ground behind him. He tried to turn and see what it was, but a massive weight, transferred by two giant paws and an animalistic snarl stopped him. He grimaced as he felt two more eruptions from the ground, and sharp teeth grab his ankles.

"What the-? _Dogs?!"_ Zabuza snarled as he looked down. Kakashi smirked under his mask.

"I'm sorry, did you think you were winning? I realized that if I couldn't _see_ you, I'd have to _smell_ you out. That was a summoning jutsu. I was calling forth my ninja hounds. They can track a scent _anywhere_. When you attacked me, I _let_ you get past my guard. I _wanted_ you to cut me. You see, it's the scent of my blood on your blade that led them to you. Surprised? Looks like I'm not the only one who was blind. Falling into my trap. You disappoint me, Zabuza."

Zabuza tried to struggle free, but the large hound on his back gripped his arms more tightly, as did the ones biting into his legs. Zabuza ignored the pain and deathglared the leaf ninja.

"You bastard…"

"Aah, the mist is finally clearing. And do you know what I see? Your death!" Kakashi stated. Zabuza snorted.

"Talk, talk! Do you mean to _talk_ me to death?!"

"In a way, yes. Right now my hounds are just playing with you, but one word from me and they'll tear you apart!" Kakashi quickly began making handseals.

"Alright, Zabuza, time to finish this, but it won't be with Sharingan, imitations of some other ninja's _tricks_. No, it's time I introduced you to my one and _only_ original jutsu…"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Haku emerged from one of her mirrors, trying to hit Naruto from behind, but the enraged ninja spun around and slashed her senbon to pieces. Haku leapt away, forming more senbon and flinging them, but to no avail-Naruto blocked each and every one. Trying to buy more time to think up a counter-attack, Haku leapt back into her mirrors and reformed them, noting grimly that she was almost at her limit.

"You'll pay for this..._I'm gonna kill you!"_ Naruto screamed. He spun up the Keyblade as he had before, the red chakra infusing it with so much chakra it seemed on fire. When it was only a blur Naruto flung it with bestial strength, the weapon blasting right through one of her mirrors and shattering it completely… Before it flashed out of existence and reappeared before another mirror, smashing through it as well before teleporting again, and again. So quickly Haku barely had time to blink, all but one mirror had been shattered into oblivion, and her vision was suddenly filled with the chakra-blazing fist of the blond-

_SMASH!_ Haku was thrown out of her mirror, her head snapping back painfully from the force of the punch. She spun in the air, the blow turning her back to Naruto-And she screamed as she felt a white hot sword blow across her back. She crashed to the pavement of the bridge, shaking in agony, and felt herself being kicked in the ribs. She rolled with the blow, barely avoiding her ribs being shattered, but she was still virtually paralyzed from the waist down. She looked up fearfully as Naruto lifted up his blood-red Keyblade, eyes narrowed in rage…

The red chakra seemed to wink out, and the red flew from Haku's vision. Naruto's red, angry eyes became wide, blue ones. His snarl a gaping mouth. Most telling of all, the Keyblade reverted back to its original, almost comical state.

"Ha… Haku…?" He whispered, shocked. Haku struggled to get up, but found herself stopped by the pain of her injuries. She took a deep breath.

_I have failed you, Zabuza-sama. I am like a weapon that has been broken and is of no further use._

"Naruto… Kill me."

The blond gaped in disbelief. Haku coughed.

"Why'd you stop? I murdered your best friend, can't you kill me?"

Naruto just continued to stare. Haku narrowed her eyes.

"Why do you hesitate? To show mercy to those who oppose the one you serve?"

"I… I just…" Naruto stuttered. Haku's glare grew, and Naruto wondered how she could be so intimidating, lying on the ground, _helpless_ before him.

"To allow his enemies to live, when you could strike them down? This is not compassion, it is a betrayal of your life's very purpose. For what reason do you exist then? You're of use to no one. Your life has no _meaning_. It is mere existence. Day after day, the pain and struggle, signifying nothing."

Naruto growled.

"Speak for yourself, you bitch!"

Haku laughed weakly, sadly.

"Are you really that blind little one? I _am_ speaking of myself. This day has shown that I am no longer of any use to Zabuza."

"Zabuza? Why that guy anyway?! To devote your life to some son of a _bitch_ who doesn't know the _meaning_ of the word honor! If he's the one person that really matters to you, man that's the sorriest thing I've ever heard!" Naruto shouted.

Haku sighed.

"There were others that mattered to me… My father, and my mother," she said quietly. Naruto blinked, breath hitched in his throat.

_Her eyes… They're so full of pain…Just like mine…_

"_Hyoton._ That's what they called my bloodline. The senbon, my mirrors… All of my bloodline. A very powerful one. So powerful, the people of my village feared anyone wielding it. My parents died because of my bloodline: My mother because she had hid our bloodline from my father, and my father because he killed my mother, and tried to kill me… After that…" Haku breathed shakily, wincing at the pain that resulted.

"After that… In all the world, there was no one who needed me. I was...unnecessary," she spoke, biting her lip. Naruto was silent. Haku then smiled, sadly.

"Then… Then Zabuza found me. He gave me a purpose… To be his tool, his ultimate weapon. For this… For giving my life meaning, I owe him everything." Haku paused and looked at Naruto, who was staring at her incredulously.

"That's the most ridiculous story I've ever heard! I mean, he treats you like a slave! You're a human being, not a _weapon_ or a _tool_! How can you _care_ about someone like _that_?!"

"For that very reason," Haku replied calmly. "Do you find it so strange?"

"Well, yeah!"

"When he found me, I had no one… He gave my life meaning, purpose… But now, my usefulness is over. The only thing that gave my life meaning, it's gone. I am a broken tool, a blunted weapon, of no use to anyone. Go on, Naruto. Do it, for both of our sakes. Do it, quickly."

Naruto took a deep breath, and kneeled down next to her. Haku stared at him.

"I know… I know what it feels like," Naruto said, quietly. "To be… Unnecessary. A monster… They called you that, didn't they? Same with me."

"Because of…? _That_ chakra…?" Haku asked. Naruto nodded grimly.

"And I also… Have people precious to me… Who gave my life meaning…" He sucked in another deep breath. "Just because you failed Zabuza though… It_doesn't_ mean you have no purpose! Maybe you just need to find another one! Another person to _give_ you one!"

Haku laughed bitterly.

"Naruto… Your heart is too bright for its own good."

"So is yours," Naruto retorted. Haku blinked at him questioningly, and Naruto blushed.

"Er… The Keyblade… I don't know how, but its telling me that… That Sasuke's not dead." Naruto smiled sadly.

"You couldn't kill your heart either, huh?"

Haku smiled back, the shared burden lifting the atmosphere if only by a little.

"No… I suppose not…"

The Keyblade flashed out of existence, and Naruto was about to lift Haku up…

"NARUTO!" Naruto jerked at Sakura shouting his name, and he looked up.

Behind him, Naruto saw Sakura holding Sasuke, tears flowing from her eyes, as Tazuna stood awkwardly nearby, guilt all over his aged face.

"I'm sorry," the old man began. Naruto coughed.

"It's okay, he's alive and-!" The blond trailed off as the mist cleared, revealing the rest of the bridge. On the bank nearby, two figures stood, confronting eachother. Zabuza, being restrained by several large dogs, and Kakashi staring him down, lightening crackling from his left hand.

But on the bridge itself stood several men, all lead by a small, squat fellow with sunglasses. Haku's breath hitched, and Naruto looked questioningly at her.

"It's Gato," she whispered. Naruto shuddered as he felt something… _Wrong_, dark, with the sneering man, all the way from here. The Keyblade appeared back in his hand as he watched and listened.

Gato spoke to Zabuza about how he was hoping he'd find him dead, stating that the Demon of the Mist had become a liability. He then said that he'd brought these men with him to take down Zabuza and Tazuna, and get the Keyblade, for a much lower price. Gato at last leered at Naruto and Haku on their section of the bridge, and spoke the final straw.

"I was hoping to find your tool alive, Zabuza… She and I will have some _fun_ before I off her for good," he chuckled. Naruto snarled, but before he could act…

"Kakashi! I say we call a truce," Zabuza shouted. The copy ninja nodded, the electricity fading from his hand, and with a whistle the ninja hounds backed off. Zabuza stood shakily, his arms limp at his sides.

"Sorry, my dogs paralyzed your arms," Kakashi stated apologetically. Zabuza shook his head.

"Never mind that, just give me a damned weapon!"

Kakashi tossed him a kunai, which Zabuza caught by biting through his face wrappings and catching it in his teeth. With that, Zabuza rushed the mob, slashing his way through.

"Zabuza-sama!" Haku cried out as he vanished into the crowd, but even from here Naruto could tell the missing nin was not fairing well. The henchmen turned and converged on him, ignoring their fallen comrades and vanished into the mist. For a few moments, there was only the sound of weapons clashing and men screaming…

Then, a LOT more screaming. Gato's men began running out of the fog bank, panicking as they leapt into the river, clambered up the bridge supports, or rushed to the bank.

The reason soon became apparent, as a massive black blob emerged from the mist, yellow eyes narrowed over a sickeningly familiar smile.

"_You didn't think it'd be THAT easy, did you? You pitiful insects!"_ Roared the massive Heartless in a distorted version of Gato's voice. Long, grasping claws emerged from the mass, pulling it along as it crushed or ripped apart numerous henchmen. A long, blue tongue snapped out of the thing's mouth like a frog's, snagging more men and bringing them screaming into Gato's mouth.

Naruto ran ahead, ignoring Sakura's shouts, and stood at his sensei's side. Kakashi glanced at him with a frown under his mask.

"Naruto, go back. I'll handle this."

"Kakashi-sensei, trust me when I say I know what I'm doing," Naruto said grimly.

Kakashi sighed.

"Fine… Use _Kage bunshin_ to draw his attention. I'll take him out."

Naruto nodded, and formed a handseal.

"_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_

_Amazing,_ Kakashi thought, seeing the dozen Narutos standing at the ready, Keyblades held in a ready position.

_He can still make that many even now?_

"CHARGE!" The lead Naruto shouted, and they did, rushing Gato. The monster grinned and whipped out his tongue, catching a Naruto and drawing it into its mouth. The rest of the Narutos continued attacking, so Kakashi assumed it was only a clone. He made hand seals again, his palm filled with lightening once more. With the Sharingan at the ready, Kakashi charged the monster, Naruto's clones keeping Gato's claws occupied.

"_RAIKIRI!"_ Kakashi roared, slamming the Lightening Blade through the Gato monster's head. The monster screamed and reared back, beginning to shake as smoke poured from the gaping hole in its forehead. Kakashi prepared a fire jutsu, but found he didn't have to. A familiar silver key slashed through the top of the monster, followed by an equally familiar orange-clad ninja.

"TAKE _THIS_!" Naruto shouted, leaping up and plunging the length of the Keyblade through the monster's body. He dragged it down Gato's face and leapt away, as Gato shook and wobbled like a giant, black gelatin mold. A massive, glowing heart-shaped object burst from Gato and rose into the misty air, vanishing, as the rest of the beast dissolved into shadow, leaving the corpse of the mafia boss lying in a sad heap before them.

For a moment, the two shinobi simply stared at the empty bridge.

"You _let_ yourself get eaten?" Kakashi asked, incredulously. Naruto shrugged and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"It worked, didn't it?"

The sounds of cheering reached them, and Naruto and Kakashi turned to see a mob of villagers, applauding them wildly. Naruto grinned and laughed happily, thrusting his Keyblade into the air in victory, while Kakashi merely eye smiled.

In all the noise, it was understandable that no one noticed that Haku had vanished from the bridge. Unable to find a trace, Kakashi suggested they let her go-Sasuke still had to recover, the bridge wasn't finished yet and Zabuza deserved a proper burial at least.

Naruto agreed, though he couldn't help staring at the place Haku had laid, Keyblade in hand…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Some distance away, leaping through the trees, a trio of ninja was moving as quickly as they could away from the bridge battle. All three wore forehead protectors marked with a single musical note, but there the similarities mostly ended.

One resembled nothing so much as a mummy wearing a long, fur coat, his head heavily bandaged to the point only one eye was revealed. His hunched back completed the illusion of some kind of deformed beast, long sleeves waving from his arms.

The second male wore grey camouflaged pants and a black T-shirt, with a purple scarf around his neck. His eyes were beady and his hair messy and brown, and his face seemed locked in a permanent smirk.

The third, and only female (aside from their prisoner) wore camouflage pants and a green, sleeveless top, a gray scarf wrapped around her neck. Her long, luxurious black hair was tied with a simple bow, and waved behind her like the tail of a dolphin. Her face might have been called pretty, if not for the irritated scowl on it.

"Ugh… Why do we have to carry her anyway?" The kunoichi complained, Haku slung over her shoulder like a bag of vegetables.

The mummy rolled his one visible eye at his comrade's complaints, while the brown-haired ninja just smirked as the girl grunted.

"You lost. You carry," the spiky haired boy retorted. The girl with long black hair scowled.

"You cheated!"

"How do you cheat at_Jan Ken Po?"_ The mummy asked, amused.

"You-I-You cheated! You _had_ to!" The girl hissed. The spiky haired boy held up a hand, and the trio paused in the trees.

"We're here," he stated, eyes locked onto the form of a black crow. The bird cawed, yellow eyes boring into the three ninja with a surprising intensity. The girl looked away, wincing in secret.

A door in the air opened, dark energies swirling and coalescing around it. With a grunt, the kunoichi leaped forward, sliding the unconscious Haku into her arms. As gently as she could, the kunoichi set Haku into the portal, before pushing her in. The door closed, vanishing as though it had never existed. The crow was gone too.

"C'mon, let's go. Job's done," the spiky haired boy stated. The mummified boy was already about to head out. The kunoichi stood on her tree branch, as though frozen.

"Kin! Move it!" The spiky haired boy barked. The girl shook her head and scowled at the boy.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" She growled, taking off after her teammates.

Unnoticed, a black figure stood in the trees, the crow sitting on her shoulder.

"Well… He kept his end of the bargain," the figure noted. She laughed quietly, looking towards the bridge. Her keen senses could hear and feel the jubilation of the people, celebratory cheers in the air.

"Savor your victory for today," Maleficent smiled. "Savor it… And continue."

A burst of green fire later, and she was gone. _(New) _

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Two weeks later…_

Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke and Sakura stood near him, at the bank before the first leg of the now completed bridge. A number of townspeople, Tazuna and his family included, were gathered to say goodbye to Team 7.

However, they were missing someone.

"Damnit, where is that idiot," Sasuke muttered angrily. Sakura looked at Kakashi curiously, and the jounin shrugged.

"I have an idea…"

"Can't you go get him then?" Sakura asked.

"He probably needs to be alone for a while…" Kakashi thought it over. "But, couldn't hurt to get him. I'll be right back."

Kakashi left and easily tracked down Naruto to a cliff overlooking the sea. The blond boy stood in silence, staring at the huge sword planted at the head of Zabuza's grave.

"Naruto?"

Naruto didn't acknowledge him, he just continued to stare at the sword. Silently, Kakashi walked over and stood next to him. The boy took a deep breath, seemingly sorting out his thoughts.

"She said she was a tool for Zabuza… His weapon." Kakashi nodded and sighed.

"Its part of the ninja way. We are to be tools, weapons, for whoever commands us. We don't ask questions, we merely do what we must."

Naruto frowned and looked up at his teacher.

"Do you believe that?"

Kakashi gave an amused huff, and shook his head.

"No… I don't. Even shinobi, after all, are human…"

Naruto turned back to the sword, and smiled.

"Well then… That settles it. From now on, I'll find my own way of the ninja. A way that's true to myself, and to my heart." The Keyblade flashed into existence in his hand, and he held it up to shine in the morning sun with a grin.

"To live without regrets, and to never back down from a promise… That'll be my ninja way…"

Kakashi smiled, shaking his head at his most surprising student, before they both turned and walked to the bridge.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Haku… Haku… Dearie, wake up…"

Haku blearily opened her eyes, a stone roof coming into focus. Scattered memories and images darted in her mind, and as though directed from the outside, they came into alignment. She felt a smooth shale table under her back, supporting her in the middle of the cavern. It was her room, given to her by…

She looked to her side and saw a familiar, smirking, light purplish face. It was female, with chubby cheeks and artful makeup, underneath a mop of pure white hair that floated in the water.

"Yes, Mistress Ursula?" Haku replied, running a hand through her loose black hair. Out of habit she looked down, checking her body. Only the usual scars across her pale skin and deep blue tail. She flicked her flippers just to make sure.

"I was worried! You_really_ shouldn't practice so hard!" The sea witch said smoothly, running a perfectly manicured claw down her cheek. Haku smiled self-deprecatingly, and ascended with a kick of her fins.

"I'm sorry, Mistress. Is there anything I can do?" Everything fell into place for Haku, nothing out of turn. She was pleased she had not fallen too far behind on her training, being Ursula's apprentice was very demanding and-

_-A blonde boy with blue eyes peered down at her, a soft, sad smile on his face-_

Haku blinked.

"Haku, dear? Are you_sure_ you're allright?" Ursula asked, oozing sympathy. Haku shook her head and smiled.

"Yes, Mistress. Please excuse me."

The mermaid swam off, leaving a smirking Ursula behind. The sea witch rubbed her hands together.

_It worked, even better than I imagined! I must hand it to Maleficent… And that Orochimaru fellow…_

"Everything, according to plan," the sea witch cackled quietly.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Update 12/13/07:__Along with general editing of this chapter and removing the "dattebayos", I added a new scene with the Sound Genin Team and Maleficent, to make Haku's mermaid reveal scene less jarring (marked with a __(New) )__. Hope you approve!_

_Update 4/19/07:__ Added a new ending and edited some additional details._

_Author Notes:__ And so ends the Zabuza Saga. In my longest chapter EVER, wow! And my most popular story to date! Thank you everyone who has reviewed or faved this story, it means a lot to me!_

_Yes, I know most Heartless can't talk but Gato basically became part of one, so he kept his brain._

_I hope Haku becoming a mermaid is not too cheesy for you guys, but there were few other Disney worlds I could really see her in. Plus, this will make her eventual rematch with Naruto VERY interesting._

_I can't give away too many details, but I hope the little hints I've left about the future chapters encourage you to keep reading, rather than making you grow frustrated. As always, I'm happy for your suggestions and input on the story._

_Sorry NaruSaku fans, but Naruto and Sakura will just be close friends here. Though to be honest, there won't be much "real" romance occurring. Attraction and growing closer in friendship and other bonds comes first. The Naruharem will happen, but definitely not immediately._

_For better insight into where the story is going, check out the "Key Through the Heart" forums on my profile! Post ideas, questions, and comments!_

_Also, check out my deviantart page (my homepage, linked on my profile) for my (badly drawn) fanart for this story!_

_See you next time!_

_Preview for Chapter Eleven:_

"_Oh, BIG mistake, emo boy…"_


	11. Morning in Konoha

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ I've decided to stop worrying so much about the details of the future chapters of this fic. I've got the outline, I know where to go, and the details can emerge as I write._

_Of course, I'm still happy for suggestions, just don't be pushy about it, okay? Okay._

_Now then, on with the show!_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto walked on a familiar platform, standing once more in a vast, black abyss. He looked around curiously, eyes scanning for something, anything… But there was nothing.

"Aw damn, not again," he mumbled, the Keyblade flashing into existence in his hand once more.

"Um… Voice? Hello? Voice, you there?"

"So, you made it," a smooth, silky voice startled Naruto, making him jump. He turned around, jaw dropping at the sight before him.

The woman looked about Ayame's age, with pale, deathly-white skin that emphasized the fiery red hair hanging down from her head to her waist. It spilled over her voluptuous figure, barely encased in a skin-tight black kimono.

But her face… The woman's eyes were blood red and feline, while her cheeks were defined by whisker marks, just like his own. Naruto tried to form words, but none came to mind.

"Tell me, brat… How did you like that taste I gave you?" She asked, her melodic voice curling around him like steel chains, wrapped in silk. This woman had _power_, that much was obvious to the blond ninja.

"T-Taste?" He murmured back nervously, as the woman licked her lips with a feral smile.

"Yes… _Taste…_ A mere _drop_ of my power… Through that weapon you wield…" She held out her hand, long, razor sharp fingers opening. A red flash of light, and Naruto's eyes widened. The woman held out a Keyblade… But it was that bright red, _cruel_ one that had seemed to burn.

Even now, he could feel pain, as though sparks were nipping at his heart. The woman held out the red Keyblade and smiled languidly.

"Take it," she crooned. "Take it… It can make all your dreams come true… _Anything_ you want, will be at your fingertips…"

Naruto felt his hand rise of his own volition… The curved, scarlet Keyblade inched closer… closer…

_CLANG!_

"GAH!" The woman cried out, holding her empty hand with a pained hiss. In Naruto's hands was his Keyblade, shining in it's humble glory. The blond smirked.

"You think I don't know who you are… Kyuubi?" The woman snarled, her eyes glowing red.

"**Fool… You would deny my power? For what? That paltry **_**stick**_** you carry?"**

"You tried to wipe out my village! You've made my life a living hell! Plus, I _know_ what I felt when I was using your chakra! I'm not about to let you have control over _my_ life!" Naruto bellowed.

"You have _more_ than enough already!"

The Kyuubi smirked.

"**Very well, brat. Just be warned… You cannot escape me. And there **_**will**_** be another time when you need my power… "** She was instantly gone, and the Keyblade refused to warn Naruto of her presence… Even as he felt hot breath against his ear that made him shiver.

"**And someday… You **_**will**_** be mine…"**

_CRASH!_

"_OW! SON OF A-!"_

Naruto grimaced. He'd fallen, tangled in the sheets (again) to the floor. With a sigh he summoned the Keyblade and glared at the weapon.

"Am I _ever_ going to get a good night's sleep with _you_ around?!"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Nara Shikamaru was among the laziest of Konoha ninja (he wouldn't contest it-too troublesome). At the same time, he was also among the most observant. There were few things that attracted his curiosity like puzzles, for the simple reason that if they were solved, things were much simpler.

And right now, the puzzle facing him was one Yamanaka Ino.

First, she becomes more serious about training than she did in the academy, when before she had no desire to ("Sasuke-kun doesn't like butch women!"). This led to her to nag Chouji and himself nearly unrelentingly. Shikamaru occasionally humored her and whipped out his shadows, while Chouji tried to catch her with his family jutsus, but she was _never satisfied._

Granted, this was not very unusual in of itself, but the reasons Ino had for nagging had changed significantly.

Finally, she had taken to practicing in the woods, alone, and during the meetings after missions-Always with that unusual quarterstaff she'd begun carrying around.

If figuring out the puzzle that was Yamanaka Ino's recent behavior (Shikamaru had long ago decided that trying to resolve the _entire_ Ino puzzle, along with the puzzle of women in general, was impossible) would allow him to get some peace, then by God he was going to figure it out.

This was why Shikamaru had decided to spoil a perfectly good afternoon to follow the blonde out into the woods. Despite her busy-body nature, he noted with a smirk, she really had bad situational awareness.

The clearing she was in was near some of the main training grounds, but extremely isolated. She'd taken out her staff and seemed to be meditating with it. Shikamaru frowned, and settled in for a long wait.

_So troublesome…_

"_Sleep_," said a small, child-like voice. Shikamaru tried to turn and see who had spoken, but his brain decided that the command was a very good one to obey…

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Hmph, thought he could sneak up on me," Ino said with a grin, as Vivi used his Float ability to bring himself and Shikamaru to the ground, gently setting the boy onto the ground. The blonde looked over her team mate with a smirk, and stuck out her tongue.

"Nyah!"

"C'mon, this is serious," Vivi protested. "What if he finds out about me?"

"Vivi-sensei, I know he looks, well… Lazy, but he just so happens to be brilliant. He'd figure it out eventually… We just need to make sure he only finds out what I _want_ him to find out," she emphasized. Vivi nodded thoughtfully, stepping over the snoozing boy with the odd hair, and he and Ino walked over to the center of the clearing.

"Now then, the Sleep spell is not very difficult to master," Vivi began his lecture, as Ino paid rapt attention. "It can be used against multiple targets or single targets at once, depending on how much magic-_chakra_-you put into it. Unfortunately, I already have a huge resistance to that spell, so practicing it on me won't be very useful."

"So, what do I do?" Ino asked. Vivi looked over at Shikamaru, and shrugged.

"Well, you're the one who said he'd find out eventually…"

"Oh, like he'd _consent_ to being my training dummy," she huffed. "Besides, I wanted this stuff to be a surprise for the next chuunin exams!"

"Chuunin exams?" Vivi asked curiously. Ino turned serious.

"It's a huge test and tournament to decide who gets promoted to the next ninja rank, chuunin. It's very tough and lots of people die every time it's taken."

"And I thought the Festival of the Hunt was bad," Vivi murmured thoughtfully, but shook his head. "So, you go through this exam with your team?"

Ino nodded.

"Then maybe you should reveal your abilities soon enough for you all to learn how to fight _as_ a team. You said Shikamaru's brilliant? Then he can probably figure out how to use your new powers a lot more effectively than I can," Vivi concluded.

Ino frowned.

"But… Vivi-sensei, you know the abilities! All these jutsu! Sorry, _spells,"_ she corrected as usual at his look. The black mage sighed and shook his head.

"Yes, but he knows this world. I don't."

The blonde sighed as well, looking over at her snoring teammate and friend thoughtfully.

"… Fair enough… How do I wake him up?"

"Just hit him… Or use a damaging spell on him," Vivi advised. His eyes widened at the evil smile that appeared on Ino's face.

"H-Hey! Hold on!"

"Look, just do that jutsu-_spell, _sorry- that makes yourself invisible." The sky above had already begun to turn dark as Ino concentrated. Vivi sighed.

"_Vanish_," he muttered, thankful that Quina had taught him this ability of hers before… Everything. He activated his Float power at the same time and ascended to a safe altitude. Over the weeks he'd been teaching Ino, he had to say he was impressed. She'd mastered most of the lower-level spells he knew, and because of her more flexible magical signature she'd learned some of the White magic he'd picked up from Eiko and Garnet (though these were just status-inducing spells, like Blind). He felt great pride in her, a pride he decided that was associated with being a teacher.

"_THUNDER_!"

_CRACKA-BOOM!_

"YEOW!"

Of course, he noted with a mental sigh, he also felt exasperation with her. Maybe that was part of being a teacher too…

- - - - - - - - - - -

"So, let me get this straight… You were sick of not being trained by Asuma, so you found this old scroll on… What was it called again?" Shikamaru asked, surprisingly calm despite being zapped by lightening. Ino had been laughing too hard to answer his angry demands of what had happened. He sighed as he ran a hand through his now spiky, static-filled hair.

_Troublesome girl…_

"Hee hee… Uh, 'object focusing jutsus'," Ino got out with only a mild giggle. She bit her lip, but still couldn't look directly at Shikamaru and his afro without breaking into guffaws.

"Essentially, that staff shapes your chakra into a preset form for a particular jutsu?" Shikamaru asked. Ino nodded, still resolutely looking at Shikamaru's feet as they stood in the field.

"Yes, but I can also shape it in different ways, by remembering how I shaped it on other staves for other jutsus," she replied. Shikamaru sighed.

"_Tch_, troublesome…"

"Look, I'm sorry for hiding it but you guys weren't exactly helping!" Ino retorted. "How are we going to survive the exams if we don't get our act together?!" 

"You could have told us sooner! Preferably _without_ blasting me with a lightening bolt!" Shikamaru replied, annoyed. Ino sighed.

"But… Since arguing more over it would be _more_ troublesome, I say we just move on. Drama is stupid," the genius surmised. Ino smiled brilliantly at him.

"Thank you, Shikamaru!"

"Now then… You're going to tell Asuma sensei about everything you can and _have_ been doing. And I'll… Train with you," Shikamaru got out with a grimace. He _hated_ training.

"How much?"

"Just during team meetings. You'll have to do the rest on your own," Shikamaru said flatly. Ino shrugged.

"Yeah, fine, whatever… So, want to see what I can do?"

Shikamaru sighed.

"Too troublesome. It'd be better to do it with the team so you don't have to repeat yourself," he said. Ino snorted.

"Lazy bum."

"Troublesome girl."

"Do I have to strike you with lightening again?"

"I'd much prefer that sleep jutsu of yours, it's the most useful ability of yours I've seen," Shikamaru replied honestly.

_WHACK!_

"OW!"

"BASTARD!" Ino shrieked.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto got out of his bed, cleaned up and headed to his kitchen for his usual breakfast of ramen and red bean paste. He sat down to it and began to happily slurp up ramen.

"Yo."

"DAH!" Naruto cried out in shock, flinging his chopsticks at the source of the noise. An amused Kakashi caught them between his fingers.

"Morning, Naruto!"

The blond glared at his sensei.

"What the hell are you doing here, Kakashi-sensei?!"

"Maa maa, is that any way to greet your teacher? Here," Kakashi replied, handing over a basket of fruits and vegetables. Naruto glared suspiciously at it.

"I hate vegetables! They always taste bad!"

"This is fresh. And besides, it's not healthy to only eat ramen. A ninja must be in good health, after all," the jounin explained. Naruto took an apple out of the basket and sniffed it suspiciously. He took a bite, and chewed it thoughtfully. His eyebrows rose.

"Huh... It's... Sweet. And not rotten!"

Kakashi eye smiled at that.

"Knew you'd like it. Well, see you at seven o'clock, sharp."

Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Which really means eleven o'clock, right?"

"Maa... More or less," the Copy Ninja replied, vanishing as silently as he'd arrived. Naruto stuck his tongue out after his sensei, and set into his breakfast.

_Man, why didn't anyone tell me fresh fruit tasted so good? _Naruto wondered, eagerly devouring the fruit alongside his ramen. He then dressed and leapt out of the window, landing easily and walking along the street at a sedate pace.

Ever since they'd returned from their C-Rank mission turned A, Team Seven had been taking D-Rank missions again. Babysitting, trash clean up, the same old same old. Though they'd certainly been getting a lot of requests for birthday parties. Probably because of Naruto's ball act. After all, Sakura-chan (though still wonderful in his eyes) sucked hard at magic tricks, and Sasuke was the worst clown he'd ever seen.

Admittedly, he couldn't stop laughing when he caught sight of him, but that was probably because he _knew_ Sasuke.

He soon caught sight of Hinata, walking through the village proper. The blond grinned and waved.

"Heyah, Hinata-chan!" The blue-haired girl turned and blushed at the sight of him, but managed a smile.

"N-Naruto-kun! It's nice to see you..."

"Same here! So, how have you been?" Naruto began walking alongside Hinata, to which she turned a little redder but stayed strong. She was happy to see him again, happy to have him back, happy to have him _talking_ to her. She wouldn't get nervous now.

"Oh, um, good. My team has been on s-several missions already," she said softly. Naruto nodded.

"That's cool. My team was on a C-Rank mission, that turned A-Rank on us."

Hinata's pale eyes widened just a bit at this.

"A-A-Rank? Are you okay? What happened?"

Naruto scratched the back of his head with a smile.

"Um, some missing nin, and other assorted things... But it turned out fine.. In the end," he said, his face becoming a bit sad. His thoughts turned to Haku. What had happened to her? Was she all right? Did she... Did she find new meaning to her life? Or, after seeing Zabuza's death, had she...?

Hinata frowned at Naruto's unhappy expression, and moved a bit closer. He looked to her, and she blushed even harder at the proximity but powered on.

"Um... Naruto-kun... If... If you'd like to talk about it... W-Well... I'm always willing to listen."

Naruto blinked at her, and smiled. Not his full blown grin, but a softer, and slightly more honest smile. It made Hinata's heart flutter.

"I'd... I'd like that," Naruto said quietly. "Thanks, Hinata-chan."

He turned and waved goodbye, which Hinata managed to weakly return.

"I'll see you later, Hinata-chan! Let's have ramen sometime!"

"O-Okay!" Hinata squeaked, smiling dreamily. _Ramen with Naruto-kun... Like... Like a date? A date?!_

She felt faint...

"Oy, Hinata-chan!"

"Eep!" She squeaked, spinning around. She saw her teammates staring at her. Shino with his usual impassive look, Akamaru barking and wagging his tail happily at her, and Kiba glaring after Naruto.

"Uh, h-hello, Kiba-kun, Shino-kun, Akamaru," she returned warmly.

"Hey, was that idiot Naruto bothering you?" Kiba growled. Hinata shook her head.

"N-No, no he wasn't..."

"Okay, but let me know if he does," Kiba smirked. "I'll kick the crap out of him!"

At Hinata's slightly horrified expression, Shino decided to intervene.

"We should probably hurry. Kurenai-sensei said she had something important to tell us today."

Kiba grinned.

"It's probably the Chuunin Exams! She said that we're ready, didn't she? This'll be awesome!"

"That may be likely, however, you should not take such an offer likely. The Exams will doubtlessly be extremely dangerous," Shino opined. Hinata tapped her fingers together as they walked to the training ground they usually met at.

"Um, but Shino-kun, would Kurenai-sensei really enter us if she didn't think us ready?"

"Most likely not, but it does not mean we should drop our guard," the Aburame replied. Kiba laughed cockily.

"C'mon Shino! We'll mop the floor with the competition! Isn't that right Akamaru?"

The white dog barked in agreement.

"Arf!"

- - - - - - - - - - -

Sasuke ran through his forms, like he'd done every morning ever since he'd gotten his sword. Its balanced weight merged with his movements perfectly. He was one with his blade, and with the Sharingan active he could direct every thrust and kick and lunge with artful precision.

_It still… Wasn't… Enough!_

His rage grew, echoing in his movements. He'd fought so hard, even unlocked his bloodline, but in the end, he'd had to be _saved…_

_That damn dead last… How the hell did he get that weapon? How'd he beat Haku?!_

_Why couldn't I beat her?!_

Another sore point with Sasuke was that he'd been beaten by a _girl._ Admittedly, a powerful kunoichi, but _still…_ It was another blow to his already battered pride.

Slash, parry, lunge, deflect…

Jump, kick, slash, flip, spin…

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

Sasuke threw his sword at the same time he blew the fireball, and with the chakra wire attached to the end of it the flames followed, catching up to and twisting around the blade, transforming the whole thing into a giant, fiery comet.

_KABOOM!_

The projectile slammed into the training post, utterly decimating it and blowing a several meter-wide crater out of the ground.

Sasuke landed, panting only slightly. He tugged on the wire attached to his sword and it sprang up through the smoke, landing easily in his hand. The Uchiha smirked.

"Now, all it needs is a name," he murmured thoughtfully. He noticed how his shadow was cast by the sun above, and sighed.

"I'll be late…" He muttered, sheathing his sword. He turned and leapt over the wall of the Uchiha quarter, setting out for the training field.

- - - - - - - -

"Naruto! Hey, Naruto!"

The blond looked up and spotted the familiar form of Tenten, waving at him from the front of her shop. He smiled and waved back, mindful of the glares of the people around them.

"Uh, hey Tenten!"

The bunned-girl noticed the glares, but paid them little mind as she walked over to Naruto with a smile.

"How goes it?"

"Not bad, you?" The girl sighed, popping her neck.

"Gai-sensei's had us training nearly non-stop. He's entering us in the Chuunin exams this year."

"Chuunin Exams huh?" Naruto asked. Tenten raised an eyebrow.

"Where have _you_ been? It's starting in only a week!"

"A _week?!_ Oh man! I completely forgot!" Naruto cursed. "It's just that, my team was off in Wave Country for a while and-"

"Wait…Wave Country? You mean _you_ were mixed up in that Gato business?" Tenten asked, wide-eyed. Naruto grinned.

"So you've heard?"

"Hard not to, once we started getting business from them again," Tenten explained. She smiled. "Most of the gossip lately has been about the new, Great Naruto Bridge."

"_Naruto_ bridge?" The blond asked, grinning in delight. "OH YEAH! The old man named it after me! I knew he would! I knew it!"

Naruto began to do an odd victory dance, taking a bemused Tenten's hands and spinning her around happily. She laughed at his child-like exuberance.

"Now now, Naruto! Don't get so cocky!"

"I'm _not!_ But I've got a _bridge_ named after me!" Naruto cheered. "Soon, I'll have a whole _constellation_ named for me, just you wait!"

"Constellation? Who'd name a constellation after _you?"_ Tenten teased. Naruto smirked.

"Some poor, defenseless princess, who _just_ so happens to be the head of the… Uh… Constellation Naming Council!" The blond announced, leading Tenten to giggle.

"Tenten!" Barked an older male voice. The two genin stopped their silly dance and looked back. A tall, brown-haired man in blacksmith's gear glared at Naruto.

"Get back in here, the forge needs cleaning," he said flatly. Tenten sighed, but smiled at Naruto. The blond nervously smiled back.

"Aw well… See you later, Naruto," she said, before turning and heading back in. Her father glared at Naruto, who smiled weakly back. He walked over to the blond and spoke in a harsh whisper.

"Just stay away from her, _demon,"_ he hissed, before turning and storming back into the store. Naruto glared back, before sighing and heading off.

_Swell… When we meet again, she'll probably think I'm a demon too,_ he thought sadly, though he got his grin back up when he reached the training field.

"Morning, Sakura-chan!" He shouted happily. The pink-haired girl glared at him.

"YOU'RE LATE!"

"Er… Well…" Naruto began. Sasuke smirked very slightly behind the girl, and Naruto stuck his tongue out at the Uchiha before smiling brightly at Sakura.

"Ah, well, you see Sakura-chan, I had to dance with this girl and-"

"LIAR! Honestly, you're getting as bad as Kakashi-sensei!" She huffed. Naruto smirked.

"Or maybe he really _is_ late all the time because of the reasons he says?" The blond suggested. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Hmph… I didn't think you were _that_ dumb, Dead last," he said.

"Oh, big, _big_ mistake emo boy," Naruto returned, feral smile on his face. "You don't want to get your _butt_ kicked by me again, right Sasuke-chan?"

Sasuke sent a glare and blast of killing intent that made Sakura shiver, but Naruto just smirked into it. The Keyblade flashed into his hand.

"Bring it, bastard!"

"Don't get cocky, dead last!"

"Ahem," Kakashi interrupted. The genin looked up at Kakashi sitting in a tree branch above them. He eye-smiled.

"You know, I _was_ about to hand you these forms," the jounin mused, holding up a few pieces of paper, "for entrance to the Chuunin Exams, but now…"

"Ch-Chuunin Exams?" Sakura asked nervously. "Kakashi-sensei, you _really_ think we're ready for that?"

"Well, I _did,_ until I saw how _immature_ you all were acting," Kakashi went on airily. A shared look between Naruto and Sasuke put their rivalry on hold for the moment. They looked at Kakashi, determined.

"C'mon Kakashi-sensei! We can do it, dattebayo!" Naruto insisted.

"Yes," Sasuke added. Sakura nervously put in her two cents.

"Um, I think… I think that, together, we might…"

"Well, I'll leave it up to you," Kakashi shrugged, tossing them the papers, which they each caught effortlessly. "No other missions for today, I'll see you next week if you decide to sign up!"

And with that, the silver-haired jounin vanished. Naruto grinned.

"All right, day off! Sakura-chan, want to go do something?"

"Heck no! Um, Sasuke-kun?"

"No," Sasuke replied shortly, walking off. Naruto sighed and shrugged.

"Oh well, can't win 'em all…"

Naruto heard something behind him, and stiffened. He swung around, Keyblade pointed at his foe…

Which happened to be a box, painted to look like a rock. He sighed.

"Konohamaru, rocks _aren't square…"_

_BOOM!_ The box erupted into smoke, leaving three coughing eight-year olds before him.

"As expected of my rival!" Konohamaru grinned, revealing the gap in his teeth, as he shot up dramatically. "Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it, er… Triple!" A little girl added in.

"To protect the world from devastation!" A glasses-wearing boy sniffled.

"And unite all peoples within our nation!" Konohamaru declared.

"To fight for the virtues of truth and love!" The girl sang.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" The other boy wheezed again.

"Moegi!" The girl struck a pose.

"Udon!" The glasses-wearing boy mirrored her.

"Konohamaru!" The leader declared.

"Konohamaru Corps, blast off at the speed of light!" They all shouted. "Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"…" Was Sakura and Naruto's reaction, blinking. Konohamaru grinned.

"What do you think of it?"

"I'm still trying to figure out what _it_ is," Sakura muttered, as Naruto laughed sheepishly.

"Er, Konohamaru… Guys… How did you come up with that… Whatever it was?"

"Television!" They chorused. Naruto and Sakura sweatdropped.

"_Knew_ that thing only caused trouble," Naruto muttered.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/17/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Sorry for the long wait, I've been really busy._

_Don't worry though, the series will continue. Still working out how to handle the Chuunin exams entirely, but don't worry, there will be lots of differences._

_Next chapter we meet Gaara and the others, so stay tuned!_

_Preview for Chapter Twelve:_

"_You shouldn't draw attention to yourselves, or you won't make it out alive…"_


	12. Many Meetings and Tests

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ To those of you who disliked the Poke'mon reference I made last chapter: I thought it was funny. Rest assured though, that that was the only aspect of the Poke'mon anime I actually enjoyed-The rest of the show sucks hard._

_This will be among the shortest chapters in this story._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"So, how do you know Naruto anyway?" Sakura asked Konohamaru, as the group walked for the main area of the town. The pink-haired girl decided to learn a little more about Naruto, but only because of the strange changes he'd gone through lately.

**Yeah, he can't hold a candle to Sasuke-kun!** Inner Sakura added helpfully. Both Sakuras studiously avoided thinking about how Naruto had shown them more care and thoughtfulness than Sasuke ever had, and that he'd beaten Haku when Sasuke couldn't, even with his bloodline...

"Oh, he helped teach me how to _henge_!" Konohamaru said happily. "Plus, he beat my jounin instructor!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head modestly, grinning.

"It wasn't very hard, once I figured out his weakness," the blond laughed and winked at Konohamaru. The Hokage's grandson winked and grinned back. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Um, what was his weakness?"

"Oh, that's easy!" Moegi began, ignorant of the looks of horror emerging on Konohamaru and Naruto's faces. "He just used his Har-MMPH!"

Naruto coughed and smiled as Sakura narrowed her eyes, Moegi's mouth covered by Konohamaru's hand.

"Used his _what_...?" Sakura growled dangerously, pulling on her trusty leather gloves. Naruto laughed nervously again.

"Nothing, Sakura-chan! Absolutely _nothing_!"

Udon wisely stayed silent, as Moegi finally pried Konohamaru's hand off her face, blushing a bit.

"Yes! Nothing! He didn't use Harem no jutsu!" Moegi's eyes widened and her hands slapped over her mouth on top of Konohamaru's, but it was too late. Sakura snarled, cracking her knuckles.

"You... Showed three _innocent, impressionable _kids, your _perverted jutsu?!"_

_"_Um, well, eh heh, c'mon Sakura-chan! It's really useful and-RUN AWAY!" The blond screamed, grabbing Moegi's hand and taking off at full speed, Konohamaru and Udon right behind them, as the furious Sakura chased after them.

"YOU PERVERT! I'M GOING TO BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY!"

"WAAAAAAHHHH! SAKURA-CHAN, HAVE MERCYYYY!"

Konohamaru pulled ahead, eyes closed. Sure, Naruto was his boss, but really! _He_ pissed off the scary girl, why did he have to bring _them _into it?

_WHAM!_

_"_OOF!" Konohamaru groaned, and looked up at the black thing he'd run into. Glaring down at him was a face painted in purple lines, framed by a black cowl with two large points on either side.

"Watch where you're going, runt," the creature growled, grabbed Konohamaru by the front of his shirt and lifting him up.

"Hey! Let me go you freak!" The little boy cried, struggling feebly. The black-clad man laughed mockingly, his hood lifting up just enough to show a hitai-ate. On it was an hourglass shape, identifying him as a ninja of Sunagakure. It reflected Konohamaru's frightened face, as the ninja's cruel smile grew.

"Oh, what are you going to do? Cry to your mommy?"

_FLASH! _A metal blade appeared at the side of his head, and the black-clad man turned his head, gaping a bit at the bizarre weapon now being held against him. Its wielder, a blond boy dressed in orange and black, glared at him, and a hint of killing intent reached his senses.

"Drop him, pajama boy, or I drop _you_," he growled. The black-clad ninja smirked.

"Oh really? You and what army, _runt?"_

"Stop it already, Kankuro!" The two ninja turned their gaze to see a tall, blonde girl with her hair in four spiky pigtails walk up the alley. She set a hand on her hip as she gave the one called Kankuro a warning look. "_He'll _get mad!"

Kankuro huffed.

"Won't take long to deal with this runt and the brat with the _toy,_" Kankuro sneered. Completely ignoring the shocked expressions of Moegi, Udon, and Sakura behind him, Naruto smirked back.

"Look whose talking. I'm not the one with a _mummy_ on my back!"

Kankuro was about to retort, when a chilling killer intent fell over the alley. The blonde girl, Sakura, and the kids all shivered under its effects, but Naruto merely looked around trying to find its source.

"Enough, Kankuro. You're an embarrassment to our village. Have you forgotten why we came all the way here?" a cold, monotone voice spoke. Naruto traced it to a redheaded boy dressed all in black, with a giant gourd on his back. He was hanging upside-down from a nearby tree, black-lined green eyes staring intently at them all. He vanished in a whirl of sand, before reappearing on the ground.

"I know. I mean, they challenged us. They started the whole thing, really. See, here's what happened..." Kankuro tried to explain, but Gaara cut him off.

"Shut up or I'll kill you," he stated flatly, dead certainty in his gaze. Naruto fought a chill down his spine.

Kankuro nervously let Konohamaru down, who immediately fled behind Naruto. The blond narrowed his eyes at the newcomer.

"I apologize for their conduct," the redhead said flatly, as though reading from a boring script.

A throat was cleared above them, and all turned to see an annoyed-looking Uchiha Sasuke sitting in the tree.

"Hey, you! Identify yourself," Sasuke ordered arrogantly.

"You mean, me?" the blonde girl asked, blushing slightly. Naruto mentally rolled his eyes as Sakura seethed.

_God damnit, why the hell does the bastard get all the female attention? Why?_

"No, the guy with the gourd on his back," the Uchiha continued. The redhead blinked up at him.

"Subaku no Gaara," he replied.

"Temari," the blonde girl volunteered, adjusting the black folded object on her back while casting a nervous look at Gaara.

"Kankuro," the last replied gruffly.

"Oh... You must be here for the Chuunin Exams," Sakura interjected, smiling slightly and trying to defuse the tension. The attempt failed, and she scowled as all three Sand ninja ignored her. Gaara shifted his gaze to Naruto, who stared back determinedly.

"You," the redhead stated to Naruto. "What's your name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruto responded evenly, Keyblade still in his hand. He'd lowered it from Kankuro's face but it wouldn't vanish, indicating that there was still a possible threat. Gaara's eyes lingered on the weapon only a moment, before returning his eyes to Naruto's.

"I... Look forward to meeting you in the exams," Gaara replied simply. He then turned and walked past Sakura, Moegi, and Udon without so much as a glance at them. Temari followed, eyes now on Naruto with an unreadable expression, as Kankuro glowered at the blond before following as well. Konohamaru shivered, and nudged himself a little closer to Naruto.

"Man, that guy's even more emo than Sasuke!" Naruto finally pronounced, shaking his head with a grin. Sakura growled as Udon and Moegi giggled a bit.

"Shut up Naruto! Sasuke-kun is _not _emo!"

"He and Sasuke probably use the same conditioner," the blond scoffed and smiled when Konohamaru laughed, fear forgotten. Sasuke released a little killing intent, getting attention back on him.

"The Chuunin exams are in a week, and I for one am going to enter."

He glared expectantly at Naruto and Sakura. The blond grinned.

"Oh, what, you have to ask? Of _course _I'm entering! How about you, Sakura-chan?"

The pink-haired girl looked nervous, but slowly nodded.

"I... I'll enter too."

"YATTA! That's awesome! I've got to go train!" Naruto crowed. Konohamaru tugged on his jacket.

"Hey, Naruto-nii-chan, can we play ninja?"

Naruto made a long-suffering face.

"Aw, c'mon! I've got to train!"

"But we haven't played in weeks! And you always come up with the best missions!" Udon pleaded.

"Please, Naruto-nii-chan?" Begged Moegi, her eyes wide and bright while her lips turned into a pout. It was the most adorable expression Naruto had ever seen, and he felt his will slipping away. He sucked in a deep breath, and sighed.

"Okay, okay... I'll play..."

Sasuke smirked ever so slightly. Naruto stuck his tongue out at him and gave a broad grin to the Corps members.

"Allright Team Uzumaki! Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is..."

- - - - - - - - - - -

The day of the exams came, and Team 7 had gathered at the testing building. Following a few other genin teams, they soon found themselves on the second floor, where several ninja were crowded around. Pushing their way through the crowd, they found Team Gai in front of a door where two oddly-dressed genin stood.

"We're not letting you in, got it? None of you have what it takes to be chuunin!" One with bandages covered his face shouted.

"Yeah, we've failed this test seven times! None of you are strong enough to get through!" His companion, a brown-haired guy wearing a blue cap, added with a scoff.

A brown-haired guy who resembled Hinata merely smirked, as Lee and Tenten stood at his sides.

"That just means it was your fate to fail seven times," the boy sneered in a level of disdain Naruto had only before heard in Sasuke's voice. Tenten, a quick glance to the grey-eyed boy as though asking for permission, moved forward and smiled kindly.

"Please, can't you let us in? We'll take our chances," she said reasonably. The boy wearing the blue cap held up a hand to backhand her, but before anyone could move-

_WHACK!_ The boy was slammed back against the door, holding his head with a groan, as the Keyblade clattered to the floor from bouncing off his face. Every ninja there gawked in astonishment as it vanished in a flash of light, and reappeared in Naruto's outstretched hand. He glared coldly at the boy, before turning to Tenten.

"You okay?"

Tenten nodded, looking a bit embarrassed, as the genin got back up and glared at Naruto.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Not so tough after all, huh?" Sasuke smirked, Sharingan eyes spinning. "Just a couple of weaklings, disguising a door to make us all turn back."

"Huh?" Asked a few genin.

"It's a genjutsu, and besides," Sakura added, "this is the second floor. The test is being held on the third floor."

"Hey! Why couldn't you let me in on this?" Naruto demanded. Sasuke smirked.

"Looks like I overestimated your abilities," the Uchiha gloated, as Naruto glared.

"Damnit," the two genin muttered, disengaging the genjutsu. The sign above the door now read '201' instead of '301'. "You saw through it!"

"Of course we did," Sakura said proudly.

"But, you also just made things harder on yourself," the blue-cap wearing genin smirked. "This was _supposed _to weed out the morons. The _smart _move would have been to move on! Idiots..."

The two genin walked off, leaving a pissed Sasuke to glare after them as the other ninja began to move, leaving Team Seven and Team Gai in the hallway.

"'Looks like I overestimated your abilities', my ass," Naruto muttered, Tenten giggling just a bit. He gave her a nervous smile, which she returned, as the long-haired, grey eyed boy looked at Sasuke.

"My name is Hyuuga Neji. And you are?"

The Uchiha ignored him and headed for the stairs at the end of the hallway, Sakura and Naruto following. Neji narrowed his eyes slightly, before turning away and walking in the opposite direction, Tenten following.

Team Seven reached the open room housing the stairs to the next level when Lee reappeared at the top of the balcony on the third floor above them.

"Wait! Your name is Uchiha Sasuke, correct?"

"What's it to you?" Sasuke retorted. Lee grinned.

"I am Rock Lee, and I have heard that you are a prodigy! Last of the Uchiha clan! I would very much like to test my skills against you... As well as you, Naruto-san!"

"Er, me?" Naruto asked, as Sasuke smirked. Lee nodded rapidly.

"Indeed, Naruto-san! But first, I would like to fight Sasuke-san! In order to prove myself to the beautiful Sakura-chan!"

The pink haired girl gaped in disbelief, as Lee leaped down to their floor and smiled, blowing a kiss.

"Sakura-san, will you be my girlfriend? I swear, I will protect you forever with my blazing flames of love and youth!" Lee proclaimed, as Sakura blanched.

"Oh God, no! No, no, no! Naruto! Sasuke-kun! Kick his ass!" Sakura screeched in horror. Lee frowned, and Naruto sighed.

"What? What's wrong?" Lee inquired. Sakura cringed.

"Your _eyebrows, _the spandex-Gah, you're so _weird_!"

Lee looked heartbroken, before smiling broadly and giving a thumb up, his teeth glinting with a noticeable sound effect.

"Then I will just have to prove myself to you! Uchiha Sasuke, shall we fight?"

Sasuke smirked, rushing forward.

"If you're so eager to be beaten, then fine, let's go!"

Lee sidestepped the Uchiha's first punch and slammed an ankle into his side, sending him tumbling away. Ignoring Sakura's cry of his name, Sasuke landed on his feet, trying not to wince at the pain in his ribs.

He activated his Sharingan and leapt forward again, but even though this time he could see Lee move, even as he moved to block he was too late-The punch connected with his solar plexus.

"Oof!"

"You may be able to _see_ my attacks coming, but it does no good unless your body can keep up!" Lee informed his opponent. Slipping under Sasuke's guard he slammed a foot into his stomach, launching him into the air. Almost instantaneously he was above Sasuke, grabbing him from behind and sending both into a death spin for the ground.

"SASUKE!" Sakura screamed as Lee opened his mouth.

"_Omote Re-!"_

_"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"_

Lee was knocked into the wall by what appeared to be a giant turtle, with huge eyebrows. Maito Gai appeared next, berating his student for acting so recklessly. They then engaged in a weird, overly dramatic hugging episode. After an even _more _bizarre apology to Team Seven, Gai and Lee vanished, leaving Sakura and Naruto blinking awkwardly, while Sasuke got back to his feet, scowling and trying to keep what little dignity he had left.

"Oh... Kay... That was weird," Naruto expressed. Sakura nodded dazedly, and turned to glare at Naruto.

"God, why is it that _weirdos_ get crushes on me, but not the guys I'm _actually _after?!" Sakura demanded. Naruto gave the pink-haired girl a deadpan expression.

"Why do girls always become attracted to good-looking jerks?" The blond asked in turn. Sakura would have retorted, had Sasuke not grunted for them to follow him upstairs. She still shot the smirking Naruto a deadly look, all the way to the real exam room.

"Ah, good of you all to come," Kakashi commented, standing in front of said room. "If you hadn't all come, you wouldn't be able to take the exam at all."

Sasuke scowled as Sakura and Naruto sighed.

"So you didn't tell us that because…?" The blond prompted.

"I didn't want you and Sasuke forcing Sakura to enter, though it appears you didn't need to." Kakashi smiled. "I know you're impatient, so I'll be brief. You've all grown well beyond my expectations, and I am proud to be your teacher." Kakashi's eye smile turned devious. The three genin were a little concerned at how well they could read their teacher already.

"So, knock 'em dead. Oh, and try to win. I've got a nice chunk of change on you three in the jounin pool." With that, Kakashi vanished.

"I _really_ hate our teacher," Naruto sighed, though he was grinning while he said it. Sasuke just smirked, as Sakura smiled.

"Well, passing to make him proud is a better motivator than passing to win him money," she suggested. The two boys could get behind that, and so spurred they pushed the double doors open and entered the exam room.

"Boy, this place is _crowded,"_ Naruto commented, shaking his head. Sasuke glared at him and huffed at the full room of genin, most turning and glowering at the newcomers. His expression remained unchanged, even as a familiar blonde girl glomped him from behind.

"Sasuke-kun! Am I glad to see you! This place was definitely lacking good looks before... Hey, is that Naruto?" Ino blinked at him. Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Er, yeah?"

"INO-PIG, GET YOUR HANDS OFF SASUKE-KUN RIGHT NOW!" Sakura snarled, channeling chakra to her fists. Ino ignored her, letting Sasuke go and walking over to get a better look at Naruto. Naruto, in turn, got a good look at Ino's new attire-Blue jacket with short sleeves, black tank-top undershirt, white skirt, and dull yellow gloves and boots. A large wooden staff was strapped to her back, he noted, as her face came very close to his own. His cheeks reddened as she hummed thoughtfully.

"You know... You look a _lot _better with your hair down than up," she said with a smirk. "But still nothing compared to Sasuke-kun!" She turned away and tried to glomp Sasuke again, but was intercepted by Sakura. The two girls began snarling and hissing at eachother, while Shikamaru and Chouji walked around them and came up to Naruto.

"Naruto, you're in this too? How troublesome," the pine-apple haired-boy sighed. Chouji munched some chips and grinned broadly.

"Nice outfit, Naruto! It looks really cool!"

_This from a guy wearing underwear on his head, _Naruto thought, but he grinned back anyway. It was nice to be complimented, though not as nice as being complimented by a girl.

"Hey, Naruto! How the hell did you get in here?" A familiar bark accompanied the equally familiar voice, and Naruto turned to glare at Kiba. Shino and Hinata also came up on either side, Hinata smiling and blushing at Naruto.

"Hello, N-Naruto-kun," the Hyuuga girl greeted, as Shino merely inclined his head. Naruto inclined his head to Shino back (the Aburame had always been polite to him at the academy, when he spoke at all, and he looked and acted _very _cool), and grinned broadly at Hinata.

"Hey Shino! Hinata-chan! And uh... What's your name?" He asked Kiba, smirking. The dog-like boy glowered indignantly.

"It's Inuzuka Kiba you idiot!"

"Ohhhh. Next time you might want to show me your collar," the blond replied with an evil grin. Hinata visibly tried not to laugh, as Kiba growled.

"You making fun of me, idiot?!"

"You got any better insults than 'idiot'?"

"Hey, you genin! Quiet down.You shouldn't draw attention to yourselves, or you won't make it out alive_…"_ a grey-haired boy wearing glasses and purple clothing told them, walking up.He identifed himself as Kabuto, another Leaf nin taking the chuunin exams.

"How many times have you taken it, Kabuto-san?" Asked Sakura politely. The grey-haired boy smiled and shrugged.

"Seventh time around... Trust me, it's not easy, especially this year." Kabuto turned his gaze on Naruto. Without warning, the Keyblade flashed into existence in Naruto's hand, much to nearly everyone's surprise, especially Naruto's.

"Naruto, when you'd get that thing?" Chouji asked, blinking. Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but Kabuto stepped in, holding up a card.

"Uzumaki Naruto, genin. Thirty-six D-Ranked missions, one C-Rank mission upgraded to A. Ninjutsu is ranked high, taijutsu ranked high, genjutsu ranked very low, stamina and agility are off the charts. Signatures are use of the Kage Bunshin, and a Keyblade." The grey-haired ninja smiled kindly.

"A Keyblade?" Asked Chouji.

"Apparently, there are a few such weapons fashioned after the legendary one. They incorporate a binding/summoning jutsu that makes them appear and reappear at the will of the wielder," Kabuto explained. Sasuke glowered.

"Where did you get that information?"

"Well, as I said, I've failed the exam seven years in a row. During that time, while I've gotten stronger I've also collected information. Each of my cards features data on a specific ninja. Anyone you'd like to see?"

Sasuke asked for information on Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Subaku Gaara. While he listened to their data, Naruto stared at Kabuto, working his jaw. The Keyblade would not vanish, and kept giving him an uneasy feeling around Kabuto. Why, he wasn't sure. The guy seemed nice enough, and had provided more information for him to use as a cover for the true origin of his Keyblade... But the weapon wouldn't vanish, even after the exam proctor entered the room and began the test.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Okay, I'm going to skip the actual written exam in the next chapter because it's really, really boring and I want to get to the Forest of Death and Anko already. _

_I rewrote the meeting with Gaara about two dozen times (no joke). I decided to keep it mostly canon and suggest that Gaara knows more than he's letting on. I also hope my version of the Konohamaru Corps and Sakura was decent._

_Sorry, no Naruto yelling at the room._

_Kabuto is a fun character, and he'll play a much bigger role in the chapters to come. _

_For the Kiba fans: Relax, he's just venting because he's protective of Hinata, and in my version of the Naruto canon he was a very big jerk to Naruto when they weren't working together on pranks. Mainly because his enhanced senses immediately made him take a disliking to our favorite blond (foxes and dogs do _not_ get along)._ _He'll be redeemed eventually, but instincts take a while to work around._

_More on Ino's new outfit in the next chapter. I did some fanart on one version of her outfit on my deviantart account. You can check it out by going to my profile page and clicking on my homepage link. Of course, if anyone wants to do fanart for this story I'd be more than happy about it._

_BTW, Biomonkey, I couldn't find the fanart you left a partial link to in your review. Mind giving it another try? Preferably by putting spaces between the full address so Fanfiction dot net's stupid editing doesn't erase it? _

_Have I mentioned how much I'm looking forward to the Forest of Death? It's because the fight with Orochimaru… Is going to be awesome. If you believe nothing else, believe that it will kick ass because I have been dying to write it ever since I began this story. _

_Preview for Chapter Thirteen:_

"_What a disappointment you turned out to be. Your ancestors weep...the Uchiha clan should thank me for killing you. Silly little worm…"_


	13. The Forest of Death, Part 1

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The written test had been long, boring, and difficult… Until Naruto and his team managed to figure out the point of the exam. To gather information without being caught, what would normally be known as cheating. The final question had been a test of courage and decisiveness-You either agreed to take the question, finding out that agreeing to take it was the right answer all along, or you trudged out.

It was becoming very clear to Naruto that being a ninja was a lot like being a prankster. You always had to be one step ahead of those the joke was on.

The passing genin were startled when a purple-haired woman burst through the window, a dramatic sign reading "Mitarashi Anko" unfurling behind her. The first test proctor (Morino Ibiki, a heavily scarred and disturbing man) rolled his eyes.

"Anko, you're _early."_

"Well, you took too long explaining things to the brats!" Anko replied cheekily, grinning out at the genin unpleasantly. "So, only twenty-six teams left? Not bad, Ibiki, but I'll cut them by half in the second part! Right, I'm Mitarashi Anko! Follow me, brats! Time for the next part!" She leapt out the window, cackling maniacally, while the entire room just kind of stared after her.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR, BRATS? GET GOIN'!" Ibiki roared, and the room quickly emptied. The scarred interrogator chuckled darkly, before looking over a few of the papers. He paused by one, and picked it up, raising a hairless brow.

"'Done by Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage,'" he read aloud. The signature was below a rather decent sketch of said blond demon container, standing triumphantly over the Uchiha kid, a member of the Inuzuka clan, and that red head from the Sand. Ibiki smirked and shook his head.

"Keep dreaming, kid," he grunted.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The genins, meanwhile, were led to the walls of Training Field 44. Anko stood before them, trenchcoat swaying in the breeze as the early afternoon sun shone down on them all.

"Allright, listen up brats! Each team has been given a scroll. 'Heaven', or 'Earth'. Your goal is to reach the tower in the center of the training area, with both of these scrolls, and all three of your teammates. You are free to employ _any_ means to get these scrolls. This is not a game, this is _actual_ combat, so treat it as such!"

"So, how long do we have? And can we quit in the middle of the test?" Shikamaru asked, hands in his pockets. Anko laughed.

"Five days, and no you can't quit! Can you quit in the middle of a battle? Well _maybe_, but you'd just get killed! They don't call this the Forest of Death for nothing!"

"Er, what's in the scrolls?" Asked another genin. Anko looked him over.

"Nothing you should be concerned about until you get to the tower. If you open it before then… Well… Let's just say it won't be pleasant," she chuckled evilly, most of the genin looking uneasy at this.

Naruto rolled his eyes and grinned nearby.

"Ooooh, Forest of Death, I'm _sooo_ scared," he mocked. He comically cowered, shaking. "Oh noooo! We're all _doomed!"_ A few genin nearby laughed at his antics. Hinata blushed and smiled, her anxiety being reduced just a bit by her crush's words.

_THWIP!_

_FLASH!_

A kunai had grazed Naruto's cheek, even as the Keyblade flashed into existence in his hand and he assumed a fighting stance. His blue eyes widened as he felt a warm, _very_ female body pressing against his back, and hot breath against his ear.

"Now it's _tough_ guys like you who are always the first to _die,"_ Anko crooned into his ear, licking at his now burning red cheek. "And leave such _yummy_ blood all over the forest floor."

_Th-Th-That hussy!_ Hinata thought angrily, fists clenching as she watched. Tenten felt kunai come into her hands as her eyes narrowed.

_God, she's so shameless!_

"Excuse me, test proctor, but I believe this is yours," a long-haired grass ninja said, her long tongue wrapped around the ring of the steel kunai Anko had thrown. The special jounin took it, still smirking sexily. She patted Naruto on the shoulder and walked back to the front of the group, Naruto just gaping after her like a fool.

"GAH! Hey!" He yelped as the long-haired grass ninja sniffed uncomfortably near him. She smiled at him creepily.

"Sorry, I just _love_ the scent of blood," she hissed. Naruto backed off, his Keyblade out and screaming _danger!_ At this genin's presence. Her eyes locked onto the Keyblade, and a hint of killing intent flashed over Naruto's senses before the odd ninja turned and went back to her team.

"God Naruto! Have you no shame?" Sakura scolded, nevertheless handing him a bandaid. Naruto accepted it gratefully, leaning the Keyblade against his shoulder. His eyes narrowed as the Keyblade's warning lessened, but not by much.

"C'mon deadlast, let's get to the gate," Sasuke stated flatly. Naruto grinned and followed.

"Sure! Let's kick some ass guys!"

"Tenten? Are you allright?" Lee asked his teammate, concerned. The bunned-girl blinked and looked at the spandex-clad ninja. She smiled uneasily.

"I'm fine… Just, you know… Little nervous."

"YOSH! Fear not, Tenten! Our burning flames of youth will outshine those of our competition, and we shall be victorious! Is that not right, Neji?"

The stoic Hyuuga smirked and nodded.

"Let's go."

The green-clad ninja grinned and gave a thumbsup.

The other genin all made it to their starting gates. The tall wooden structures groaned as they were all opened at once, as though reluctant to let the young ninjas into its confines. Anko stood outside, and waited. A grim smile came on her face as the first screams filled the air.

"This should prove interesting," she murmured to herself.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Utada Hikaru smirked darkly. Already, her team of genin from Getsugakure (Village Hidden under the Moon) had tracked down a genin team from Konoha. They had stopped for a break in a clearing. A fat boy, a weak-looking blonde girl, and some lazy-looking kid with hair down up in a spiky ponytail.

She caught the eye of her fellow genin, and quickly signaled. They nodded, the two young men ready to strike. Hikaru herself formed the handseals for her _Kashoku no jutsu._

Hikaru leapt into the clearing, the jutsu activating and causing a massive burst of light that would blind the genin team. Her own goggles (and those also worn by her team) protected them.

"All right, hand over the scroll and no one gets hurt!" She shouted, kunai ready to be thrown. The genin did not respond, staring dumbly at her. Hikaru growled, and threw a kunai at the fat one.

"Fine! Then you can just-!" The fat boy _poofed_ out of existence, and Hikaru stared.

"It's a-!" She froze, and found her jutsu disappearing. Hikaru gawked as her body refused to obey her commands.

"Well, that was helpful," commented a lazy voice. The ponytailed-boy was standing near the edge of the clearing, smirking at her. She managed to get her eyes to look down, and saw that a shadow stretched between herself and the boy. Her teammates also had trapped shadows, and were struggling to get free.

"Yeah, that light jutsu of theirs boosted your shadow jutsu Shikamaru!" The fat boy added, stepping out of the bushes nearby with a grin.

"So, Chouji, you want to handle them, or should I?" A female voice asked behind Hikaru. She couldn't turn her head to see, but it had to be the blonde girl. Chouji looked thoughtful.

"Meh… It'll be faster if you do it, Ino! Besides, I'm hungry!" He whined.

"You're always hungry!" Ino growled. "But fine… THUNDER!"

A flash of light and shock later, and Hikaru was out cold, wondering just how things had gone so wrong…

Chouji walked over to the girl and pulled the scroll from her pouch, checking the seal and sighing.

"It's not the one we're looking for!"

Ino cursed.

"Damnit! We have to go through that _again?!"_

"No," Shikamaru said. "We just have to find another team with two 'Earth' scrolls, and we can trade them."

"But won't that give us more competition in the final round of the exams?" Chouji asked, pulling out a bag of chips and beginning to chow down. Shikamaru sighed.

"Can't be helped. The more we fight, the less likely our chances of getting to the tower. It's less troublesome to just trade it. Another Konoha team's probably our best bet."

Ino smiled broadly and tucked her staff back into the sling on her back. "Sounds great! Let's go!"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oi, Misumi! Kabuto's stopped!"

Tsurugi Misumi paused his tree hopping, looking back. His eyes narrowed behind his glasses at the grey-haired genin, who was looking up into the branches of the tree he was in.

"Hey, Kabuto! Get a move on!"

The medic ninja turned back, face artfully neutral.

"Head for the rendezvous point. I'll catch up."

"What?" Asked Akado Yoroi, glowering beneath his face mask. "What the hell are you thinking? Orochimaru-sama-!"

"I said, I'll catch up," Kabuto stated, cold and firm. His eyes became slightly red as he glared at his teammates, and both felt a chill go down their spines. Kabuto was much more powerful than them, asshole though he was.

"Fine," Misumi stated contritely, turning and leaping off. Yoroi followed soon after, still looking back at Kabuto.

The grey-haired ninja waited for a moment. A small black bird dropped down from it's hidden perch overhead. It cawed, yellow eyes blinking, as it released a small scroll into Kabuto's hands. The ninja nodded, and Diablo flew off into the shadows of the forest.

Kabuto opened the scroll and read it through, the only betrayal of his thoughts another red flash through his eyes. He then smiled softly, tucking the scroll away in his kunai pouch before taking off on a northwesterly path through the trees.

The tower that was the genin's goal was to the north-east.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Look, can I help it if I want to get to the tower and out of this forest as quickly as possible?" Sakura asked, not expecting an answer. It was rhetorical, after all.

"No," Sasuke grunted, maintaining his pace through the trees. Inner Sakura sighed and swooned at his acknowledgement. She was interrupted by Naruto's snort.

"Yeah well, we're not exactly going to be welcome there without a scroll!" The blond kicked off another tree as the trio kept up their furious pace through the upper levels of the forest canopy.

"If we get near the tower today, we can set up traps and ambushes for other teams, who will be tired from days of fighting it out," Sasuke reasoned.

"Brilliant, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura complimented.

"The less fighting we do, the better shape we'll be when we get to the third part of the exam," the Uchiha continued. Naruto frowned thoughtfully.

"Who made you leader anyway?"

"Oh, like you have a better plan deadlast?" Sasuke snorted. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"No, I'm just surprised you're thinking things through, for once."

"I'm not the one who was dead last in my class, moron!" Sasuke growled.

"I'm not the idiot who announced the genjutsu and got us all that extra competition!" Naruto returned.

"So what, you're afraid you're too weak to fight any of them?" Sasuke shot back with a superior smirk. Naruto growled back, Keyblade flashing into his hand.

"Naruto, Sasuke-kun, this isn't helping!" Sakura interjected. "And besides, Sasuke-kun's plan will work just fine."

Loathe as he was to admit it, Naruto knew Sakura had a point. And Sasuke may have been a bastard, but he did know his stuff. The plan made sense to him, at least. And while he did love a good fight, it was wiser to save your strength for the important ones.

_Feh, and they said I never learned,_ Naruto mentally scoffed, thinking of the Academy instructors who had snubbed or ignored him entirely. Not to mention how they taught him incorrectly when it was one on one, and insulted him, and mistreated Iruka-sensei for befriending him, and…

He felt a flickering of red chakra on the edge of his senses, and he doused his anger. Naruto mentally groaned. Was this how it was going to be from now on? Get angry, and the Kyuubi's power takes him?

"Naruto, watch out!" Sakura's warning alerted Naruto back to reality just in time, and he lifted his feet up to land on the tree he would have otherwise rammed his head against. His teammates paused.

"Naruto, pay attention!" Sakura added roughly, though he was pleased to see that her eyes were concerned.

"Sorry, I just… I have to go," the blond said, shifting uncomfortably. He had barely noticed his discomfort until Sakura had brought him out of his brooding.

"Well, go then," Sakura stated flatly. Naruto nodded and began to hop down the tree to the ground, before he paused and looked back up.

"Hey, wait! Shouldn't we come up with a password or something? Just in case one of us gets captured and replaced?"

"Just summon the Keyblade, idiot," Sasuke replied flatly. "No one else in this exam has one."

"Hey! Don't call me an idiot, emo boy!" Naruto shot back, and dashed off out of sight. He smirked at finally getting the last word.

Coming to a secluded clearing, he unzipped his pants and was about to relieve himself, when the Keyblade flashed into his hand. He felt a huge killing intent behind him, and an equally large mass as a shadow fell over his.

"Oh, shit," he muttered, leaping to the side while holding his shorts up with one hand. A split second later a massive brown and green, reptilian head smashed down, long fangs digging into the earth.

Naruto quickly rezipped his pants and got into a fighting position, as the giant snake turned back and focused on him with glowing yellow eyes.

"Okay, I don't really think you can understand me, but I'd just like to say that attacking a guy while he's peeing is definitely _not cool,"_ Naruto stated flatly. The killing intent of the snake increased, but the Keybearer just smirked defiantly back. This thing didn't scare him!

"So bring it on, ugly! I'll kick your tail back to wherever you came from!" Naruto shouted. The snake hissed and screeched in challenge, before lunging.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

A few miles away, in the heart of Konoha, a lone ramen stand was at work. The lunch crowd was coming in and Ichiraku Teuchi was handling the orders with his usual professionalism. He glared slightly at the increased patronage-Whenever Naruto didn't eat here, more people came. He'd remembered Naruto, on one occasion, noticing this, and offering to leave if he got too bad for business. The six year old had said this with such uncharacteristic conviction and seriousness in his voice that it'd given him a start.

Finally, Ichiraku just smiled, patted the blond's head, and told him that he didn't need the business of people like that. The honest, joyful smile on the boy's face was payment enough to him.

"Oi, Old Man! Two beef bowls please!"

"Coming right up!" Teuchi replied, looking down at the pots and basins for the noodles. He noted that they were out of beef flavoring and grimaced.

"Ayame, we're out of beef… Ayame?" He frowned, and turned back to his customers.

"Just a moment, please," he said, and walked to the backroom of the stand. Ayame was leaning against a wall, eyes dull and unfocused. Teuchi frowned and put a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Ayame? Are you all right? What's wrong?"

She looked up at him, face strained. He grimaced.

_Not now… Damnit Naruto, what are you doing?!_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"It's been ten minutes," Sasuke said. He got up from the branch he and Sakura had been resting on, waiting for Naruto to come back. Sakura frowned and followed, pulling on her gloves.

"Something's coming…" He muttered to her, and she discretely put one hand on her kunai pouch.

They spotted a familiar orange and black-clad figure, with blond hair held up by a _hitai-ate._ Naruto smiled and waved as he approached.

"Hey guys, I'm back! Let's get going and-HEY!" Naruto dodged a thrown kunai. He glared indignantly as Sasuke whipped out his sword and held it in a fighting stance, while Sakura gathered more kunai from her pouch and held them between her fingers, ready to throw them at a moment's notice.

"What's the big idea, you jerk?!" Naruto shouted.

"Drop the _henge_, we know you're not Naruto," Sasuke growled. "For one, he wears his _hitai-ate_ on his arm now, not his head."

"And where's the bandage on your cheek?" Sakura added defiantly.

_**Great, if this is an imposter, where's the real Naruto? Could he have been…?**_ Inner Sakura trailed off, but the implication made Sakura feel cold.

"Well well, you're much better than I thought," 'Naruto' said, a silky smirk on his face. With a poof, that strange grass ninja with the long tongue appeared.

"What did you do with Naruto?" Sasuke demanded, Sharingan eyes spinning. The girl's smile grew a little more, long tongue licking the corner of her mouth.

"Why, I had one of my pets deal with him," she simpered. "But I suggest you worry about yourself now, Sasuke-kun." With a drawn kunai she attacked, covering the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Sasuke parried the surprisingly strong blow as Sakura leapt and aimed a kick at the enemy's head. As though swatting away a fly, the grass ninja blocked the kick with her hand and shoved back, sending Sakura flying.

"Gah!" She shouted, twisting in mid-air and landing on a far trunk. Sakura gawked at the distance she'd been thrown. _Just what the hell is she?!_

Sasuke had leapt back, leading the grass ninja away from Sakura. He landed feet-first on a tree and leapt forward, slashing at his enemy three times while flipping over her. The grass ninja laughed, blocking each hit and grinning as Sasuke landed some distance away, putting his sword in his other hand before briefly shaking out his right.

"A bit too hard for you, Sasuke-kun?" The ninja teased, leaping for Sasuke again, kunai crashing against the Uchiha's blade. Sasuke spun away from the blow, swinging for his enemy's back. Quick as lightening she blocked, but this was what Sasuke intended. He slipped under the strike and kicked the enemy's legs out from under her, sending her falling off the branch. Before she could react Sasuke jumped off after her, diving like a falcon to catch up, and locking her in a tight hold as they went down headfirst.

They fell, faster and faster, and even as the grass ninja struggled with incredible strength Sasuke held on. He gritted his teeth and directed more chakra to his limbs.

_Just a little more…!_

_WHAM!_ They reached the ground, the grass ninja crying out in pain. Sasuke heard a satisfying _crack_, and pulled off his foe, pulling his sword back to plunge it through the ninja's back. But the grass ninja leapt up and kicked Sasuke away, sending him flying into a tree with an "Oof!"

"Ku ku ku… I will admit, Sasuke_-kun,_ that was better than I expected… But still not enough to stop me!" She cackled. She moved towards Sasuke, but jumped back at several kunai imbedding themselves in the forest floor before her. Sakura leapt in, darting forward with a feint kick to the head. The grass ninja countered the rabbit punch that followed, and soon pulled Sakura's stomach into her knee.

"AUGH!" Sakura wheezed, green eyes wide as her breath was stolen.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted, bracing against his tree and leaping forward, slashing with his sword. The grass nin leapt back, leaving Sakura to fall to the ground, trying to breathe desperately as her face burned red.

"Oh, _such_ concern for your teammate! How _touching,_" the ninja sneered. "But really… Such attachments only make you weak. I believe your brother proved as much." Hate flared inside Sasuke, as the grass ninja continued her taunt.

"What a disappointment you turned out to be. Your ancestors weep...the Uchiha clan should thank me for killing you. Foolish little worm…"

"_Foolish little brother, if you wish to kill me, hate me, detest me, and survive in an unsightly way. Run, run and cling to life…"_

"No," Sasuke whispered, angrily. He felt his chakra roar inside him.

_I am not weak… I am not a disappointment… Never again… For I am… AN AVENGER!_

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_ The massive fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, surprising the grass ninja and causing her to leapt away. This however was shown to Sasuke in the Sharingan, and despite his foe's superior speed and agility he had prepared the trap.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

Again a fireball flew from Sasuke's mouth, hands discretely moving to his weapons pouch. The grass ninja leapt away once more, and Sasuke leapt with her, matching altitude as he made another set of handseals.

"_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"_

The grass ninja smirked as the firebirds flew for her.

"_Fūton: Daitoppa!"_ A massive blast of wind erupted from the grass ninja, and Sasuke cursed as his firebirds (and the kunai concealed within) were blown back. The wind caught him too and sent him flying into a tree trunk with a thud.

"SASUKE-KUN!" Sakura screeched, trying to get back on her feet but still apparently out for the count. Sasuke cursed under his breath.

_Damnit, just how strong is this guy?!_

"Such a disappointment," the ninja cooed, landing near Sakura. Sasuke tried to move as the pink-haired girl was picked up, but he found he didn't have to-The grass ninja threw Sakura to him. He managed to catch her, rolling along a very large branch to kill momentum.

"S-Sasuke-kun," she murmured, shaking. Sasuke felt the breath in his lungs freeze as a massive, horrifying killer intent came over him. He struggled against it, setting Sakura down as gently as he could before getting to his feet. The grass ninja was facing them from another nearby bough, deadly smirk in place.

"So, you can stand against my killer intent? A bit better, but still nothing compared to your brother. It seems all the power of the Uchiha clan went to him when it fell… And you are a poor, _poor_ replacement," the ninja cackled. Sasuke snarled, Sharingan eyes at full power. His vision seemed to clear a bit more, and despite his injuries he felt revitalized, strengthened.

He saw what he had to do. He leapt up, throwing several kunai at the enemy ninja. She laughed, dodging easily. Sasuke threw two windmill shuriken after, and the grass ninja leapt above them… Eyes widening slightly at the second shuriken that emerged from their shadows, spinning after her. She leapt away again, senses perceiving Sasuke's strike too late.

"YAH!" He cried, kicking his foe as hard as he could and directing her aerial path to another tree. The Sharingan showed his plan, and mentally a clock ticked.

_Almost there… Almost there…_

The grass ninja landed on the tree bough, right in front of the trunk. Sasuke threw a kunai with a wire attached up and swung around another massive tree, gaining altitude, until he was directly ahead and above the enemy. She stared curiously… And gaped as the light of the sun got through the forest canopy just enough to reveal more wires.

Sasuke yanked the wires as hard as he could, and like a closing net whipped around the grass ninja and slammed her up against the trunk of the tree she stood on. Sasuke made an elaborate set of hand seals, taking a deep breath as he tucked the ends of the wires into his mouth.

"_Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!"_ Flames roared along the wires, highlighting their paths of steel wire. They were wrapped around the kunai and shuriken Sasuke had thrown, guiding the fire in a vast network that raced around the forest, all of them finally slamming into the captive ninja at once.

"YEEEEEAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHH!" The grass ninja screamed, the flames edging near the blue color of the temperature spectrum. Sasuke let the wires fall from his mouth and spun up his sword, imbuing it with chakra before throwing it with all his might, sticking the wire trailing his _chokuto_ to his mouth and directing what was left of his chakra to the final blow.

"_KATON: KAKIRI NO JUTSU!"_ Sasuke roared, his flung sword turning into a fiery rocket that slammed into the grass ninja, causing a massive explosion.

_KABOOM!_

Sasuke shielded his eyes from the flash, letting the wind from the blast wash over him before he looked again.

A large section of the tree-trunk had been gouged out, burnt into black charcoal. The smoke was heavy as Sasuke tugged on his wire and yanked his sword (blackened but otherwise unharmed) back to his hand. As the smoke cleared, Sasuke could see the enemy ninja bow her head… Then look up, face seemingly melted, but otherwise unharmed. Sasuke gawked, and felt the killing intent fall upon him even harder.

"_Ku ku kuuu…_" The ninja laughed, shrugging off the wires and grinning through her/his/it's ruined face. "I was wrong… You have _great _potential… Potential to grow far beyond Itachi. Your Sharingan is keener than his…" The ninja leapt for Sakura, and Sasuke, exhausted as he was, managed to get in front of her protectively, sword held out as he panted. The ninja looked amused, before leaning her/his/it's head back and making a gagging noise.

"What… Who the _hell_ are you?!" Sasuke demanded, shaking from the killer intent and disgust, as the grass ninja yanked a long, straight blade from it's throat. It held it out in a ready stance.

"Come, let us continue! You can't let your guard down for even a second. Prey need to strain their minds all the time and run around... in the presence of a predator," the ninja finished with a smirk. Sasuke charged.

"_DIE!"_ He bellowed.

_SHING!_ Sasuke gawked. His sword had been broken in two by a single slash from the enemy's blade. He backed away, still holding what was left of his _chokuto_ out in challenge.

"Fool… Hand over the scroll and I'll let you live," the ninja cooed mockingly. Sasuke, still shaking from the killer intent, felt his hand reach for his pouch.

"Not so fast, you blood licking _freak_!" Shouted a familiar voice. Sakura looked up and smiled.

"_Naruto!" _

The blond looked rather worse for wear, but was grinning all the same. The grass ninja scowled.

"You… How did you escape my summon?"

"That was _your_ snake? Oh, I'm sorry, but I had to gut it," Naruto smirked. "Woulda made a kick ass slide with it, but it went 'poof' on me. By the way, it's _rude_ to not identify yourself to other people. Right Sasuke?

Sasuke had no idea how Naruto could be so cheerful in the midst of this killing intent. It made Zabusa's feel like a mild breeze! But still, he somehow managed an annoyed glare.

"Shut up, you idiot!"

"Hey! Show some gratitude! I'm here to save your ass, _again_ I might add, from _another_ girl!"

Sasuke snarled, as the grass ninja blinked. Here he was putting out enough killing intent to bring an ANBU to their knees, and this boy wasn't affected?

_Of course not,_ he thought, _he contains the Kyuubi no Kitsune, and wields the Keyblade. One would make him immune to demon level ki, and the other magnifies the power of his heart._

"I am Orochimaru… And I know all about you, Uzumaki Naruto," he hissed. Naruto smirked and flipped down in front of his teammates, Keyblade at the ready.

"I'm flattered, Oro… Whatever. " Naruto paused. "Since you already know my name, I'll just skip to the important part of my introduction. I'm here to kick your ass!"

Naruto leapt forward, Keyblade singing as he swung for Orochimaru's head. The older ninja blocked the strike with his own blade, but his eyes widened ever so slightly at the sight of his sword, the legendary _Kusanagi,_ being _chipped_ by the Keyblade.

"Impressive," he got out, as Naruto spun away from the strike in midair and swung for his waist. Orochimaru parried that as well but Naruto simply spun away again, kicking off the tree branch and kicking back to him from another. Orochimaru continued blocking the blows, which began to increase in speed.

"HIYAH! YAH! TAKE THAT!" Naruto shouted, eyes completely on the fight. He ducked under a retaliatory blow from Orochimaru, and swung his chakra-enhanced blade into the bough underneath him, breaking the branch and sending his enemy stumbling backwards.

"DIE!" Naruto roared, leaping as he pushed off the Keyblade and summoned it back within Orochimaru's guard as they fell. The snake summoner twisted away and kicked Naruto in the stomach, sending him flying up into another tree. Orochimaru landed with a grimace, noting that the Kyuubi brat had managed to _scratch_ him.

"You'll pay for your insolence, little fool," he hissed, unleashing some of his full speed as he leapt after Naruto. The blond was sticking to the side of a vast tree trunk, and leapt off, twisting in mid air to meet Orochimaru's blow.

_SKRASH!_

Sparks flew off the weapons as Keyblade and _Kusanagi_ met, Naruto flipping over Orochimaru and spinning his weapon up with chakra imbuement.

"I was saving _this_ for the bastard, but guess I'll have to test it on you!" The blond shouted. He threw the Keyblade, burning blue with chakra, as hard as he could at Orochimaru. The snake summoner blocked the strike, noting that the _Kusanagi,_ again, had been chipped from the force of the blow. The Keyblade flashed and vanished, reappearing in Naruto's hand, as he threw the Keyblade again, burning with chakra still.

_CLANG! FLASH! CLANG! FLASH!_

Naruto kept throwing the Keyblade, darting all around Orochimaru and keeping up his attack. He felt himself reach the limits of his speed, and made several _Kage Bunshin_, who all began the same attack. Orochimaru moved faster, but whether it was his own instincts or those of the Keyblade, Naruto knew that something had to give.

_WHAM!_ Right in the shoulder, the Keyblade finally got through Orochimaru's guard, knocking him off the branch he'd been standing on and spinning him away. Naruto re-summoned the Keyblade and spun it up once more, ready to deliver a death blow.

"_STRIKE RAID!"_ Naruto bellowed, throwing the Keyblade.

"_KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"_ Orochimaru shouted, and the Keyblade met instead a giant snake, emerging from a great burst of smoke. The weapon bounced off it's leathery hide as the serpent lunged, mouth open, for the blond ninja.

"OH SHI-!" Naruto screamed as the snake's jaws caught him, swallowing him whole. His shocked clones were quickly dispatched by the snake as well. Sakura screamed in horror, as Orochimaru landed easily on the branch Sasuke and Sakura had retreated to. He smirked darkly.

"Now, where were we?" He hissed.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Ayame had calmed down a little, and was able to resume preparing and serving ramen to the hungry customers. Teuchi smiled, hoping that it was simply a false alarm…

"Hey, are you okay?" A customer asked, eyes concerned. Teuchi turned and frowned as Ayame wobbled. The ramen cook's daughter managed a small smile.

"I'm… I'm… Oh, _no,"_ she whispered, before she fell forward. Teuchi was barely able to save her from falling face first into the noodle fryers, and pulled Ayame back up. He shook her, noting her vacant eyes.

"Ayame? AYAME!" He turned to a ninja who was watching, bowl of pork ramen steaming before him. "Get a medic! A doctor! Someone!"

_Damnit, not now! Not so soon! Naruto! You'd better be all right! Because I want to be the one to kick your ass when you return!_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto blinked. The interior of the snake was, for a time, slimy, warm and smelled disgusting. Then, he found himself in a black abyss, a familiar red-haired, whiskered woman before him.

"**What did I tell you, simple fool?"** The Kyuubi laughed. "**You need my power, again. You weakling."**

"Screw you, fox bitch! I don't need your help!" Naruto shouted, struggling to get free and back into the Real World. The Kyuubi smirked.

"**Idiot… Now that you're in my grasp, you have no choice in the matter…"** Naruto felt red hot fire engulf his feet, and he looked down to see that familiar, hated red chakra oozing up his legs. He cursed and tried to yank himself out, but the grip tightened relentlessly, the red chakra continued to flow upwards. Naruto saw the Keyblade begin to shift into it's curved, cruel, red form, and he struggled even harder, yelling and cursing as the chakra went past his waist and began to reach his chest.

A warm, comforting hand took his free one, and Naruto felt himself calm down. The Kyuubi glared in disgust to someone at his right.

"**You… How did you get in here?!"** She snarled. A commanding yet soothing female voice answered her.

"_**I am called by his heart,"**_ she responded, and the abyss began to lighten. Naruto still couldn't turn his head to see his savior, but he couldn't help but smile. Especially as the red chakra was gathered up into the Keyblade, isolated from his body.

"_**Don't be afraid, Naruto,"**_ the woman spoke again. "_**Do not give in to the darkness. You have defeated her once already. She may be in a different guise, but your resolution has not failed. Trust in yourself…"**_

Naruto focused, the blue light from the mysterious woman filling him, as though recharging his chakra. She let go of his right hand, and he felt the reassuring weight of his true Keyblade fill it. Both weapons, Keyblade and Kyuubi-blade, glowed brightly.

"**You bitch! How dare you defy me!"** The Kyuubi roared, forced back into her giant fox form. The mysterious woman said nothing, only placing a comforting hand on Naruto's back.

"I… Um…" Naruto tried to say, and still found he couldn't turn to face her. He grimaced and tried harder, but still stayed firmly rooted forward.

"Why can't I see you?"

Laughter, like the tinkling of bells.

"_**You will… But for now, you have work to do, Naruto-kun."**_

And then he was back in the snake's belly, the sick smell of acid filling his nostrils, and both Keyblades flashing into existence in his hands. He focused, the chakra shaping itself within him.

"_TAJUU_ _KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura sat over a downed Sasuke, sobbing as she held him. He was whimpering in pain, the bite marks on his neck changing form into a tattoo-like bruise, black with three small tadpoles swimming in a circle within it.

"Come to me when you want power, Sasuke-_kun,"_ Orochimaru cooed, licking his lips as his neck shrank back into his body. He turned to go and dispel his summon… Before a massive spike of chakra flowed over his senses.

"_What?!"_ He seethed, as the snake that had swallowed Naruto began to expand. It's yellow eyes widened as the bulge in it's throat grew to a giant size, the leathery flesh breaking and cracking until-

_BOOM!_ A flood of Narutos emerged, the snake broken in two. It fell, poofing out of existence, as the _kage bunshins_, as one, leapt for Orochimaru, each wielding two Keyblades, each with murder in their eyes.

"_Fūton: Daitoppa!"_ Orochimaru shouted, and the wind jutsu blew away the clones, all of them poofing into smoke. But the real Naruto's location was soon determined. Orochimaru looked up and saw him diving down, both Keyblades blazing with chakra flames. The snake summoner leapt up as well, _Kusanagi_ at the ready. Time seemed to slow down, as Naruto swung both Keyblades together, their unstable auras interacting, red and blue burning to white.

The words for the attack left Naruto's lips, even though he had never heard them before.

"_BRAVE SHOT!"_ He roared, as the Kyuubi Keyblade was converted entirely by the blue chakra of the original into burning white energy, which exploded out like a sun being born. Sakura dragged Sasuke behind the tree trunk and held him for dear life as the shockwave of the blast roared around them, a blinding light shining around them.

The tree nearest the release had its sap superheated to the point it exploded, a massive fireball ascending above the forest as wooden shrapnel and debris flew everywhere. For miles around, if the flash was not seen then the boom certainly was heard, the wind from the explosion carrying the scent of fire and burnt flesh. Chakra senses across Konoha screamed at the burst of demonic energy, and even civilians with no shinobi training felt a shiver from the release.

In the middle of the dying maelstrom, lying near a felled tree, a badly beaten, exhausted Naruto lay, the original Keyblade lying at his side. He wheezed, blue eyes staring dazedly out at the small clearing he'd created, small fires still burning everywhere.

His enemy emerged from the smoke, yellow eyes narrowed. Naruto gritted his teeth as he saw that Orochimaru, while appearing burnt alive, was unharmed beneath the blackened extra layer of skin.

"You have amused me, Kyuubi brat," he spat. He was on Naruto in a second, Naruto's neck held in his merciless grasp. The blond choked, but still glared defiantly into the monster's eyes. He screamed in agony as Orochimaru slammed his fingers into his bare stomach, the seal reacting with the feeling of a fire in his belly.

"Consider yourself _blessed_ that I cannot kill you now," the snake summoner hissed, carelessly flinging Naruto aside. He then vanished, a grudging smirk on his face.

If not for the fact that the Kyuubi would destroy his soul, if the Keyblade didn't get to him first, he'd have marked Uzumaki as his next host.

_However, when Sasuke-kun comes to me…_ He laughed maniacally, as he sped through the forest.

Sakura had managed to drag the unconscious Sasuke to the ground, and carrying him piggy back (which, despite the circumstances, made Sakura blush bright red) she made her way to the scene of the fight, limping from the injuries Orochimaru had inflicted on her.

"Na… Naruto-kun!" She called out. Tearfully she spotted him, lying limp on the ground. She shuffled over, falling to her knees and checking his pulse.

"Oh God… Naruto," she whispered, seeing his sorry state. She was exhausted from the fight, and hauling Sasuke around was difficult, even with her enhanced strength. But, she steeled herself to get both of her teammates somewhere hidden, before other teams arrived, drawn by the explosion.

She dragged them both away, unaware of the grey-haired ninja watching her, and smiling ever so slightly as the sunlight glinted off his glasses.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Well, I hope that met everyone's approval! And that the dialogue was not too cheesy._

_Don't ask me about Ayame, the woman, or how Naruto could wield two Keyblades, if only for a moment. You'll find out in time, I promise._

_Speaking of which, hope that wasn't too cliché. I have a method to my madness, but just hang with me folks in order to find out what it is._

_Sokka's lawyer: I stopped replying to reviews because Fanfiction . net warned me not to in my stories. I can however reply to general questions and so forth._

_The Real Get Over It: I hope this modified dialogue worked for you. If not, I can safely say that most of the dialogue in future chapters will not be word for word in the least, heh._

_If you spotted the reference to the Kingdom Hearts soundtrack I made, kudos. You rock._

_Unless you just used Wiki to look it up. In which case, hmph. Cheaters._

_Just so you all know, the only real damage Naruto did to Orochimaru was leave a scratch. Brave Shot is also not the best attack to use because it literally blows up a Keyblade. Which would probably kill nearly anyone else attempting the move. Yes, I know it's not like that in the game. This is my interpretation._

_And don't expect him to either wield two Keyblades a lot more in the future, or use that attack again, except maybe as a last resort._

_Allright, enough author notes. Review, be honest, tell me what you liked, didn't like, etc. See you next time!_

_Preview for Chapter Fourteen:_

"_Who hurt you, Sakura? Who did that to you?"_

"_Me!"_

"_Then die…"_


	14. Thoughts in the Dark

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Twilight Town was definitely one of Jiraiya's favorite haunts, ever since he'd begun world hopping some time ago. The people were simple but friendly, the place was warm and quiet, and (most importantly) had a good population of attractive, young women for his research.

What drew Jiraiya of Konoha here at the moment though, were the fruits of this town's labors. Or, more accurately, the grains.

He threw back another rich Twilight Ale, enjoying the buzz in the back of his brain and the burn of the potent liquor down his throat. He smiled, shaking out his impressive main of white hair with an appreciative hum.

"Quite the brew you have, my dear," the Sannin complimented his hostess in the small bar near a wide field in the center of the town called the Sand Lot. His finely tuned ninja senses could pick out the weak auras of some of the kids training for some fighting contest. The hostess blushed prettily in response.

"Why thank you, Mister Jiraiya! Would you like more?"

"Please!" Jiraiya grinned, holding out his mug. He then frowned.

"Well, I see you're wasting no time," a high-pitched, amused voice said behind him. Jiraiya turned and smiled at the short, red-clad mouse hidden behind an illusion of a non-descript man.

"Mickey! I wondered when you were going to get your tail here," Jiraiya commented. He motioned to the seat next to him, eyes turning to the hostess.

"Ruby, can you give us some privacy?" The silver-haired woman smiled and nodded, turning and heading to tend to her other customers. Mickey walked up and took his seat, the illusion doing the same. Jiraiya whistled.

"Huh… Not bad. Not _quite_ as good as a _henge_, but then it doesn't really need to be."

Mickey sighed, scratching an oversized ear.

"Magic and chakra can be shaped in the same ways, but in the end they're still different forces," the mouse king surmised. He then frowned, looking about the bar carefully.

"Relax, I cast a privacy jutsu," Jiraiya said, taking another draw of his beer. "So, how did you get out of running your kingdom to come see me?"

"Simple. I left without telling anyone," Mickey raised an eyebrow at the white-haired ninja. "Since the _last_ time I met you I woke up with a hangover the size of a Gummi ship on top of a volcano."

"In a cupid costume, don't forget that," Jiraiya added with a grin. Mickey snorted.

"Minnie won't let me forget, that's for sure. Besides, as I recall _you_ didn't turn out much better."

Jiraiya cringed.

"I swear I had no idea what possessed me to enter that chocobo race… Though you have to admit, I did pretty well."

"You blew up the race track," Mickey pointed out flatly.

"So? I still won," the sannin insisted.

Mickey rolled his eyes again, thinking that if Jiraiya were not his friend he'd have knocked him into orbit with the Keyblade a long time ago.

He still might. But, business before pleasure and all that.

"The Heartless have been idle too long," Mickey said at last. "They slowed down after they conquered Hollow Bastion, but it's nothing like this. The world they destroyed just before they stopped was close to the worlds Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cloud all came from."

Jiraiya hummed thoughtfully.

"At the same time, that organization I've been tracking, the one with the interest in the _Biju_ of my world, have been sighted on other worlds."

"Working with the Heartless, or against them?" Mickey asked. Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head.

"A little of both. A few worlds they've been defending from the Heartless in exchange for tribute, while a number of their members have helped the buggers conquer and destroy a few more. What the connection is, I haven't been able to figure out," the sannin reported, taking out his pipe and chewing thoughtfully on the end. The mouse king also adopted a thoughtful expression.

"I've locked the keyholes of as many worlds as I can, but there are only so many I can seal," Mickey sighed. "And if the Heartless get their hands on another Keybearer… It won't matter."

"Another one, hm?" Jiraiya asked. Mickey nodded.

"The legends do say that there were more than one. Possibly hundreds at one time, though for what purpose no one knows."

"Legends? They've descended into myth by now," Jiraiya snorted. He'd filled and lit his pipe, and let the soothing tobacco fill his senses. He blew a smoke ring, still looking thoughtful.

"Still no sign of Ansem?" The sannin asked. Mickey shook his head.

"Nothing. Considering how he remained behind to make sure the last civilians got off-world, I'd say my old friend is… But something in my gut just tells me he's still around." The mouse shrugged. "How, I haven't the foggiest. It just does."

Jiraiya smiled around his pipe.

"Gut feelings have their place too," he noted sagely. Mickey smiled back.

"Yeah…"

"Hey you!"

Both sannin and mouse king turned at the source of the noise. A blonde kid with piercing blue eyes, white sleeveless coat, and black knit cap on his head was scowling at them.

"Yeah, you two! What do you think you're doing here?"

Jiraiya raised his eyebrows at Mickey, who closed his eyes and laughed silently, gloved hand over his mouth.

"Sitting and talking… And drinking," Jiraiya explained slowly, as though speaking to a complete moron. Which the blond seemed to wish to prove himself as.

"You're outsiders! You're supposed to announce yourselves to the Disciplinary Committee before entering!" He said self-importantly. A taller, tanned youth with black hair and red shirt, accompanied by a blue-haired, red-eyed girl in blue strode up behind him.

"Yeah! Get up and show us some ID, before we knock you flat, ya'know?" The red-clad boy stated proudly, puffing himself up.

"Squashed," the blue-haired girl stated in a monotone.

Jiraiya smirked unpleasantly. Mickey rolled his eyes.

"Jiraiya…" The mouse said warningly. Jiraiya just grinned.

"Identification, hm? I'll have you know Miss Ruby is quite familiar with me. Isn't that right, Daisy dear? You'll vouch for me, won't you?"

The silver haired woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly, shaking her head, as she walked up to the trio.

"Now what have I told you three about coming in here? You're not legal aged yet, so out. Stop bothering Mr. Jiraiya and his friend!"

"Hey! This is Disciplinary Committee business! Back off, ya know?" Red said with nervous bravado. Blondie nodded and crossed his arms.

"We know what's best for this town, you don't! We're taking in this geezer and his buddy!"

Jiraiya's smirk became positively lethal. The Disciplinary Committee took no notice. Mickey, again, rolled his eyes.

"Jiraiya…" The mouse warned once more. The sannin shrugged and grinned.

"Meh… Waste of my time to teach these punks a lesson," Jiraiya stated dismissively. "I need to be going anyway. See you same time again?"

"Maybe earlier," Mickey answered carefully. The blond growled.

"Hey! Who you calling punks, you old-!"

Jiraiya vanished with a final wink at Ruby, a few leaves kicked by a breeze and a generous sum of coin on the table all to mark his absence. The Disciplinary Committee found that the 'old geezer's' friend had also vanished.

Ruby summarily kicked them out, leaving Seifer Almasy to angrily swear he'd make that old coot pay the price for humiliating him!

- - - - - - - - - -

Twilight Town's clocktower, on top of its train station, was a huge landmark and fantastic draw for tourists. A marble spear jutting into the sky, its cheerful bells could be heard miles away.

On a ledge near a few winged statues surrounding the top of the tower, a small girl with long brown hair, bright green eyes, and an orange dress sat, kicking her feet.

"Now what did I say about sitting up here?" Asked a calm, masculine voice. The girl turned her head and grinned happily.

"Mister Jiraiya! You're back!" She said happily, getting to her feet and rushing over to the old man. She gave him a hug, and Jiraiya returned it gingerly. Exactly what the small girl saw in him he'd never know.

_Well, I did save her life, _he thought to himself with a mental chuckle.

"Yes, but not for long," he told her. She immediately began to pout.

"But you're_never_ around! And I just moved here! And I don't have any friends, and Mommy's always busy, and-!"

"Woah, woah, take it easy Olette-chan!" Jiraiya laughed, patting her on the head. "Look, if you want some friends, you just have to take charge. Be confident."

A mischievous glint entered the old ninja's eye.

"Or beat up that annoying blond kid. That'll earn you _plenty_ of friends, I'm sure."

Olette looked unsure about it.

"Beat him up? But, but he's… He's head of Discipline and-!"

"And it's like me declaring myself ruler of Candyland," Jiraiya snorted. "Doesn't mean a damn thing. Knock him flat; I know you can do it."

The girl wavered a bit, but nodded, determination appearing in her eyes.

"I… I'll do it! Besides, he's always mean to me!"

"That's the spirit!" Jiraiya grinned. "Now then… Your mother gave you that envelope, right?"

Olette nodded, and fished a thick, tightly bound envelope out of her school bag, lying next to a gargoyle. She handed it to Jiraiya, whose grin turned slightly lecherous.

"Mister Jiraiya? Are you okay? What are you smiling about?"

"Oh, ahem, nothing," the sannin said, composing himself. He then gave her another big, caring smile, which she returned.

"Now, what did I teach you?" He prompted. The girl took a deep breath.

"'Hit the nose with the flat of your palm only. Heads are hard, stomachs and groins are soft and hurt lots.'"

"Good girl!" Jiraiya enthused. Olette moved forward and hugged him again, tightly.

"Please, promise you'll visit again soon, Jiraiya?" The girl asked, plaintively. Jiraiya's grin became a soft smile, as he patted her back with genuine affection.

"I promise," he said. "After all, Gallant Jiraiya keeps his promises!" With a heroic pose that made Olette giggle and clap, he took off, hopping from roof top to roof top. As he traveled, he opened the envelope and peeked inside, lecherous grin reappearing.

"Heh heh heh… Always knew she'd come through, ooh hoo hoo!" Jiraiya giggled.

Now, the sannin did have a soft spot for hard luck kids, and Olette certainly qualified as such. Her father, a farmer, had died and her mother had been forced to sell their meager homestead and move to Twilight Town, where it was somewhat difficult to find work at times. He would quite happily have helped support them (the money he made from Icha Icha_alone_ giving him a fortune that rivaled Scrooge McDuck's), but Olette's mother was not willing to accept charity.

Fortunately, she wasn't shy about _tastefully_ photographing her beautiful self…

"Ah, wonderful inspiration," Jiraiya sighed, as he headed east again… But not before he paused by the Sandlot. Looking down, he spotted the blond kid and his gang. With a smirk, he summoned a toad and gave him a few quick instructions. The amphibian complied.

"So then I said, 'hey, if you can't take the heat, get the hell out of here,'" Seifer was relating to his cronies, before he felt something land on his head with a wet _plop._ An orange face peeked at him over the brim of his hat. His eyes widened.

"GAAAAAAAAAH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!"

Satisfied, Jiraiya turned and headed back for his Gummi ship.

- - - - - - - - - -

Sakura was, for once, glad to have been the top kunoichi at the ninja academy. She'd memorized the emergency survival manual, which outlined how to survive with wounded teammates in hostile territory.

Drained of chakra as she was, Sakura still managed to drag Naruto and Sasuke to a hollow in between the roots of a gigantic tree. She gathered as much moss and as many branches as she could to conceal them, and make their hiding spot resemble just another part of the forest floor. That finished, she began to examine her teammates, both of whom were still out cold.

All this was done while she was very seriously considering panicking. Inner Sakura kept her calm and focused though, yelling encouragement and advice the inner personality had memorized.

_**Right… Pulse is faint but steady, blood pressure's stable, he's still got a high fever…**_ Sakura looked over Sasuke's face and blushed slightly.

_**You know…**_ Inner Sakura began, a perverted leer on her face.

_Not now,_ Sakura chided. Inner Sakura sighed.

_**Oh fine. Hmph. We could die at any moment and you're not taking the chance to, you know…?**_

_Now is not the time damnit!_

_**You are such a prude! C'mon, check out the goods of our future husband, SHANNARO!**_

_No! Now shut up! We still have to check Naruto!_

The pink haired girl moved to Naruto, blushing slightly at his severely torn clothing. It exposed his tanned, and surprisingly muscled, body. She then frowned as her eyes fell on his flat stomach.

_**What the heck is that? I don't think that Orochimaru guy had enough time to draw **_**this**_** elaborate a seal on him! And why?**_

_I don't know… It doesn't look anything like Sasuke-kun's seal,_ Sakura thought with a frown. Admittedly, she didn't know a whole lot about seals, but she had studied enough to know that the larger they were, the longer the preparation and the more resources needed to create it. Naruto's seal couldn't have been created in only a few _minutes…_

_**And he wasn't bitten,**_ Inner Sakura pointed out as well.

Sakura frowned, running a hand over Naruto's belly. Cautiously, she extended her chakra senses towards the seal.

_Scarlet, flames-!_

She quickly withdrew her senses, shaking and taking deep breaths. The killing intent put out by Orochimaru paled in comparison to the sheer _menace_ she'd felt. Sakura scooted back, staring down at her trembling hands. She looked back at the unconscious Naruto… Before turning back to Sasuke.

_**Shouldn't we check him more thoroughly?**_

_After that? Look, I'm all alone, I have no idea what's wrong with them, we're stranded in the middle of the Chuunin exams-! I have enough stress as it is!_

She bandaged up Sasuke's cuts and bruises as best she could, before reluctantly turning back to Naruto's still form. She blinked at the fact that the cuts she'd seen on him before were all gone. She bit her lower lip and shook her head, before turning to her pack and rummaging for some food. After all the adrenaline, her hunger had finally caught up.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

All throughout Training Field 44, night was falling. More than half the teams had been eliminated in the first few hours alone, falling to other ninjas or the natural hazards in the forest.

The tall, lonely tower in the center was silhouetted against the half-moon, a light that cast dark shadows wherever it touched.

Into the foreboding forest Temari stared, arms crossed over the windowsill. She rested her chin on her forearms.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Temari rolled her eyes and turned her head to regard her brother.

"Speak for yourself."

Kankuro shook his head and walked next to her, peering out the window with her in silence for a few moments.

"What are you looking at?" He asked. Temari pointed to a outcropping on the tower, and Kanakuro's eyes widened.

"He's been sitting there ever since that chakra explosion," Temari spoke, her eyes shifting back to Gaara from the forest. He sat on the ledge, one arm on his folded knee, his unblinking eyes staring into the darkness beyond.

"That's pretty weird… Even for him," Kankuro allowed. Temari bit her lip.

"Do you… Do you think that it had something to do with that blond kid?"

Kankuro raised an eyebrow at his sister and scoffed.

"_Him?_ What makes you think he had anything to do with it?"

Temari frowned, lowering her chin into her arms even more.

"You saw how Gaara reacted around him… And that weapon of his…"

Kankuro rolled his eyes.

"Temari, the Keyblade's a myth. It's not like some giant key-shaped piece of crap could actually _do_ anything."

Temari snorted. "Made you back down."

"No, _Gaara_ made me back down," Kankuro retorted. "I'm telling you, that punk's dead and his stupid weapon's been taken for a souvenir."

Temari frowned thoughtfully and turned her gaze back to her youngest brother. He was still there, still staring, a strange look on his face. Rather than being devoid of emotion or filled with insane glee, his face had an expectant look. Probing, almost curious.

"Maybe you're right," she mumbled, standing up. She walked over to her bunk and unceremoniously slumped down in it.

_He's probably right… But still…_

It was an old story her mother had told her when she was little. When her father was not so mad, so cold. Before Gaara, when Kankuro was still a baby. It was one of the few pleasant memories she had from her childhood, filled with strict training and shadowy political games well before her father decided he wanted a demon container weapon.

It had a brave young man, who was given a weapon of incredible power and chaotic good. He was chosen to wield it, as his world died around him and his friends were lost to darkness. Across world after world he fought to save those he cared for, to save everything from plunging into eternal darkness. He met so many different peoples and saw so many wondrous things. Wish granting spirits in lamps, fish people who lived under the ocean, dragons and witches and demons…

The story always ended with the young man saving the day. Often at great personal risk and loss, but always did he pull through. Always did good triumph over evil.

When she died, when Gaara was born… When her father saw his children as merely means to an end, as tools… She hated her mother a little. Hated her for telling such wonderful stories, filling her with hope and happiness, and having all that good feeling shattered into oblivion by her father's ambitions and her uncle's hatred. She'd tried so hard to forget, but that blond boy…

_He's probably dead anyway,_ she told herself firmly. _Those were just stories. There are no happy endings. And there is no Keyblade._

With this she went to sleep, all the while Gaara sat outside the window, staring into the abyss. _(New) _

- - - - - - - - -

Anko had seen a lot in her years of service to Konoha. Particularly as an apprentice to one of the most infamous, psychotic missing nin the village had ever had. The genin team before her was nothing she hadn't seen before. Or rather, what was left of them in the forest clearing, near the walls of the village.

And that was the problem.

"We found them this morning," a cat-masked ANBU reported flatly. "Judging by the decay the med ninjas found, they can't have been dead more than a day or two."

"Just in time for the chuunin exams," Anko noted flatly. "The jutsu that did this… I've seen it before."

"Then… It is him?" Asked an owl-faced ANBU, a hint of nervousness in his young voice. Anko rolled her eyes.

"His name is_Orochimaru_," she hissed in disgust. The ANBU stiffened, as Anko rolled her eyes.

_Newbies…_ She bent down and examined the corpses more closely. Her brown eyes narrowed, as she took a deep whiff with her nose.

"Grass nin."

"How can you tell?" The owl ANBU asked. Anko rolled her eyes.

"Because they smell like the grass nin at the exams." She stood up and glowered. "Combined with that explosion a few hours ago and looks like the old snake bastard's back in town." She turned to the cat ANBU.

"You, report this to the Hokage," she ordered, and the ninja vanished. Anko turned to the owl masked ninja with a slightly sadistic smirk.

"And you… Come with me. We're checking out some things."

"Um, wouldn't you prefer a full team?" He asked nervously. Anko's smirk didn't waver.

"Sorry, I'm pretty sure my rank is tokubetsu jounin. What's yours?"

"J-Just chuunin, ma'am," he replied nervously, Anko's killing intent (and no doubt reputation) affecting his verbal skills. The trench coat-clad kunoichi grinned.

"THEN WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE FOR? GET GOING!"

The owl ANBU was off like a shot, Anko right behind him.

_Newbies,_ she thought, only this time in twisted amusement as she savored the fear in the younger ninja. _(New) _

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"You told me you wouldn't interfere."

Maleficent smirked, not bothering to look at the speaker in the tree behind her.

"And I didn't…"

Orochimaru smirked. He'd played this game many times with the witch, and truth be told he enjoyed it on a perverse level. She was almost as cunning, ruthless, and powerful as he was. She'd make a good host body… If not for the fact that he wanted to wield chakra as well as magic, and that her body was completely wrong for taijutsu.

He was a ninja before anything else, and preferred the life he'd chosen.

His musings were cut off by Maleficent's next statement.

"I am merely here to observe."

"You really expect me to believe that?" The snake sannin hissed. "You think I don't know about your influence on Kabuto?"

Maleficent raised her eyebrows.

"He has considerable talent. If you are to finally wield the Heartless, I'd like to know just what kind of army you've built. The strength of their hearts, among other things."

She finally turned around, gaze icy cold on the snake sannin, who returned the gesture with a murderous glare full of his killing intent.

"You know that won't work on me. Don't forget who it is who controls the Heartless."

"Don't forget that you are on _my_ world," Orochimaru sneered. "Even the Heartless are not invincible." Maleficent smirked.

"I see… You are not _completely_ absent of sense…" She turned back again, and the sannin seethed.

"I will make an offering, a show of good will," Maleficent spoke then. Orochimaru frowned.

"What kind of… Offering?"

"I will grant the genin team from your village the power to summon and control the Heartless. If they prove themselves… Competent, then I will grant you the same power. If not… You will have to fine some other means of convincing me that my time has not been wasted on you."

Orochimaru smirked, even as insane rage blazed in his yellow eyes.

"Very well…"

The witch vanished, and Orochimaru left, in his mind repeating his vow that when he gained power over the Heartless, he'd enjoy watching Maleficent die. Slowly.

But for now… He had an old student to reunite with…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_"Iruka-sensei!"_

_The scarred-man looked up from his paperwork, and smiled happily at his favorite student._

Ex-student_, he reminded himself, but he'd prefer not to dwell on that. He smiled at him happily._

_"Naruto! What brings you here?" _

_The orange and black-clad ninja swung in through the open window and landed easily on the floor. He grinned broadly back at him._

_"Just visiting!"_

_Iruka frowned at his student. They'd talked little about his mission to Wave Country, and Iruka was nearly to the breaking point when it came to demanding answers from Naruto. The official report alone had nearly driven him to confronting Kakashi directly, though there was little he could do. Kakashi had prepared the genin as best he could, Iruka knew this, but..._

_It still hurt to be unable to do anything for his students._

_"Shouldn't you be meeting Kakashi?"_

_Naruto snorted._

_"He never shows up on time. Well, he does, just not when he says he will." _

_Iruka grimaced. Kakashi's 'punctuality' was infamous. He took a deep breath, and gave Naruto a serious look._

_"Naruto... Kakashi mentioned something in his report to the Hokage..." Iruka noted how Naruto's expression became stiff._

_"... Is there anything you want to talk about?" Iruka asked. Naruto bit his lip._

_"Is this about... The Kyuubi?"_

_"Have you spoken about it, to anyone?"_

_"No," Naruto replied. He smiled before summoning the Keyblade in his hand._

_"See? It's all... Its not like it was with the... The fox..."_

_"It's chakra?" Iruka asked. Naruto nodded and sucked a deep breath through his teeth._

_"It... She... I think, it talked to to me in a dream."_

_Iruka also took a deep breath._

_"I... I see."_

_"She... It... Offered me power. To let me... Let me use it's power." Naruto looked fearfully at Iruka, who merely stared at Naruto expectantly._

_"And?"_

_"And... And, aren't you wondering what I said?"_

_"No. Because I know you said no," the chuunin replied, a soft smile on his face. Naruto nodded, smiling back._

_"What I want to know, Naruto, is why you haven't talked to anyone else about this? Or why your sensei didn't talk about it!" Iruka shouted. Naruto cringed._

_"I only had it this morning!"_

_Iruka sighed._

_"Still... You should tell the Hokage about this."_

_"I know, it's just... I don't want the old man to worry..." Naruto sighed._

_"And really... What can he do? I can't get rid of the Keyblade... And I might use the Kyuubi's power again. I don't want to but... But what can I do? Is there some kind of jutsu I can use for this?"_

_Iruka closed his eyes sadly._

_"I don't know..." He reopened his eyes, and moved around his desk. He took Naruto into a hug, and Naruto tensed a little at the contact._

_"But we'll find out, I promise," Iruka said finally. Naruto nodded, smiling back._

It wasn't the first nightmare he had since he returned, and even after telling the Hokage, even after checking the seal, they continued. There was nothing that could be done, except trust in the Fourth Hokage… And Naruto.

Iruka grimaced, the light from the waning moon shining through his apartment window. He couldn't see the Forest of Death from here, but his memories provided enough background to imagine what his students might be going through.

He'd caught a few snippets of gossip saying how tough the competition was this year, not to mention that practically every ninja had felt that glimmer of the Kyuubi's power.

_Did you use the Kyuubi's power, Naruto?_

Willingly, he wouldn't, Iruka knew this, but the chuunin could remember the terror of the Kyuubi's power. More than its ability to topple mountains or cause tsunami with its tails, the suffocating chakra aura that stretched for miles made it so legendary, so terrifying. It made you feel utterly insignificant, like the ant underneath the heel of a boot.

The surge of the Kyuubi's power was no where near as strong as when the beast first attacked the village, but it was painfully familiar.

_And yet…_ He shook his head. What the panicking ANBU and ninja had seemed to miss was the fact that the Kyuubi's chakra hadn't been as hostile as before. It was muted, as thought mixed with something else, something less malevolent.

He had no idea what had happened, the ANBU were keeping everything silent, but all the same… Iruka was comforted by the fact that, if Naruto had truly been killed there would have been a much, _much_ bigger explosion.

_How could Naruto go out with anything less?_

Despite the fear he had for his surrogate little brother, he couldn't help but smile at this. And hope, as tenuous as it seemed, grew inside him.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Why hello, Anko-chan."

Anko's eyes narrowed, the familiar hiss of her sensei's voice behind her sparking anger inside her heart. He stood before her, dressed like a jounin from Otogakure, a sinister smirk on his face. She smirked back.

"You son of a whore… I'm actually _glad_ you're back."

"Oh really?" Orochimaru asked, amused. Anko nodded… Before blurring and slamming an elbow into the snake sannin's face.

"So I can kill you! You fucking bastard!" She roared, attacking with furious, agile and serpentine strikes, kicks, and punches. Orochimaru, amused, blocked every attack with ease, finally catching her right wrist and yanking her stomach into his knee in a quick, violent moment.

"Oof!" Anko huffed, as Orochimaru held her. Her skin crawled at his touch, and she glared hatefully up into the face of her former sensei.

"You've grown soft, weak," the snake sannin chuckled. "Still the mere girl I knew so long ago. Well, I can't say I'm surprised." He bent down and whispered in her ear, sadistic amusement in his eyes as she squirmed, trying to get away.

"You were a_failed_ experiment… Little more than a broken test tube, a discarded blueprint…"

"_Shut the fuck up!"_ Anko roared, snakes lashing out of her sleeves and driving into Orochimaru. Or at least they would, if he had not leapt away and swatted the hissing beasts away with ease. His smirk never faded.

"Oh, touched a sore nerve did I? Yes, I imagine it took some time to recover trust from this pitiful village… But they'll _never_ fully trust you, Anko-chan. They're ignorant, weak, _pathetic…"_

"I'd take every one of them, hooker and jerks included, over _you,"_ she hissed back, throwing a kunai. Orochimaru caught it between his fingers easily, tossing it aside.

"I'm sure… A pack of vermin is stronger together… But still no match for a predator," the sannin chuckled. Anko smirked.

"Oh really? I hear a certain _fox_ gave you some trouble today? Losing your touch in your old age, asshole?" The tokubetsu jounin taunted. A flash of real rage entered Orochimaru's eyes, a sign of his she'd been able to read, and her grin widened.

"A minor setback only, and I achieved my goal," Orochimaru went on, the anger dying in his eyes. But he'd lost control, which he _never_ did before.

"Oh?"

"The Sharingan will someday be mine," the sannin replied with a sickly smile. "And the Kyuubi brat, well… His _toy_ makes him no champion. One day… He too will fall, like all of you pitiful mortals."

"Too bad you'll never see that day, huh bastard?" Anko grinned. "_Sōjasōsai no Jutsu!"_

Two black snakes leaped out of her sleeves, locking onto Orochimaru's wrists with their fangs. Another pair of reptiles emerged and bit into Anko's wrists, and her smile became more peaceful.

"It's over… You lose… You should have _never_ taught me this technique…"

"I suppose not… You could have saved your pitiful life if I hadn't," Orochimaru grinned. He yanked the snake's fangs out of his wrists and tugged Anko to him, catching her in an embrace. Her eyes widened as he grinned, and bent down to whisper in her ear.

"Cancel the Chuunin exams for this… _and I will destroy the village…"_

He raised his head to smile down at his failed student, enjoy her hopeless expression… And instead met her smirk as a dozen explosive notes lit up in her jacket.

_KABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMM!!!_

The explosion wiped out the equivalent of a city-block of the forest, and everything within in… Leaving the real Mitarashi Anko and the owl-masked ANBU to stare at the devastation.

"Did-Did you get him?" The ANBU asked. Anko sighed, eyes genuinely melancholy.

"No… Check the chakra signatures through the flames. He used a clone too. The whole thing was just to send a message."

"A…A message?" The ANBU asked. Anko nodded grimly.

"Yes… We'd better alert the Hokage. C'mon."

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and added a scene with Temari and Kankuro discussing the fall out from Naruto's attack (marked with a __(New) __ at the end of the scene). As well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 6/18/07:__ Added a revised ending, with Anko's confrontation with Orochimaru. Also fixed a few spelling and grammar errors._

_I know, it's something of a filler chapter, but it's setting background for the future story. Plus, while updates are going to be a bit slower for the time being (Summer cold, among other things), I don't want to leave you, my loyal readers, with nothing._

_Hope I kept everyone in character for the most part._

_Due to very credible criticism by my beta reader, magic and chakra will be different forces. Shaped and manipulated in the same ways, but of fundamentally different forces. _

_Hope you liked Jiraiya and Mickey's friendship, and a little peek into my interpretation of Twilight Town. You'll see it again, just not any time soon._

_Not writing a preview for the next chapter this time. Just know that'll show the end of the Forest of Death and get us into the third part of the Chuunin exams. As always, I welcome criticism and suggestions on various aspects of the story._


	15. The Forest of Death, Part 2

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Sakura had tried to get some sleep, lying blushingly between the two boys. It was a fitful rest, especially when she brushed up against Naruto or Sasuke and had to fight the urge to latch on, as though they were big teddy bears.

_**Warm, muscular, strong-**_

_SHUT UP ALREADY!_

Honestly, was she so frustrated and scared that she'd lost all reason? Cuddling up to _Naruto?_

With this cheering thought she managed to fall asleep… Only to be awakened as the wires she'd attached to her fingers were tugged.

_**The traps…!**_

A loud boom reverberated through the shelter, as her log trap was triggered. She extended her chakra senses and grimaced.

_Three signatures… all fresh._

"Oh, cute, _really_ cute," jeered a rough, young male voice. Sakura quickly checked Naruto and Sasuke again.

_**Damnit, both still out?!**_ She popped her only soldier pill in her mouth and steeled herself. As quietly as she could she created a single _bunshin_ to peek out of the front entrance of the shelter, as she eased herself through a gap in the roots behind the shelter.

She heard a few of her spring-launched kunai traps go off, and the chakra signatures of the assailants moved.

"Gah, this is so annoying! Look, hand over Uchiha Sasuke, and no one gets hurt! We'll let you keep your pitiful lives!" That same voice shouted again. Sakura backed into the bushes surrounding the small clearing, and finally spied the assailants.

_Those Sound nin from before!_

Kabuto had pointed them out, just before the exam had begun. A messy, black-haired boy wearing grey and black camouflage fatigues stood in the center, hands wrapped in bandages. A pale girl with long black hair and similar fatigues stood at his left, glaring. Finally, a hunched over figure, covered in bandages to the point he resembled a mummy, with an unusual metal gauntlet over his right arm, surveyed the area with his one visible eye.

Sakura frowned and formed a few handseals. Jutsu activated, she cleared her throat.

"What do you want with Uchiha Sasuke?" She asked, her voice echoing around the clearing. The mummy-guy adjusted his gauntlet as the spiky-haired guy snorted.

"Funny. Ventriloquist jutsu? It won't do much good against ninja from the _Sound_ village," he smirked. Sakura frowned.

"What do you want with Uchiha Sasuke?" She repeated, running her fingers over her equipment pouch and mentally doing an item check.

_Four kunai, four shuriken, two explosive notes, two flash notes…_

She'd used most of the remaining weapons to set up traps around their shelter. Even now, as the Sound kunoichi took another step forward, another trap was tripped and another set of kunai was fired. She dodged, and cursed. The spiky-haired guy growled, holding his hands up. From this distance Sakura could just make out tiny holes in his palms.

"Enough of this! Let's just summon them and kill them all!" He stated. The kunoichi cringed.

"I don't know… I mean, are you-?"

"Screw it!" He shouted, cutting her off. He held out a hand over the ground before him. The spot under his hand's shadow erupted into black smoke, which coalesced into a small, squat being. It was hunched over, two glowing yellow eyes peering out from twitching antenna. A pair of clawed hands grasped at the air, as the creature twitched and shook.

"All right, find her!" He ordered. The creature hopped forward, looking around curiously. It's pupil-less gaze looked on Sakura, and she shivered. The spiky-haired boy smirked.

"THERE!" From his outstretched hands a huge blast of wind issued, which Sakura barely dodged. Forced into the open she quickly made ten _bunshins_ and rushed the Sound ninja, throwing a flash note above her illusions. As it flashed she kept her eyes closed, using her chakra senses to steer her in the direct of her targets.

"GAH! Die already!" Screamed the spiky-haired guy, and a blast of chakra-enhanced air came forward again. Sakura dove, covering her head as her _bunshins_ poofed out of existence. She grimaced as cuts appeared in her skin, before the wind lashing ceased. She leapt back up, throwing four shuriken at the spiky-haired ninja. He dodged, off-balance. A burst of chakra to her legs and Sakura was on him, her fist slamming into his stomach. With her other fist she slammed his jaw and leapt off to avoid his teammates from-

"GAH!"

-_**catching us,**_ Inner Sakura said sullenly. The mummy ninja had her by the ponytail. A backhand to the face sent her sprawling.

"Not bad, for a Leaf ninja," sneered the kunoichi. She sighed as the spiky-haired Sound ninja moaned. "Oh would you stop being such a pussy Zaku?"

"Look who's talking, Kin," he muttered back, getting to his feet. "That little bitch coulda broke my jaw!"

"Hmph. You complain too much," the mummy ninja stated flatly. "Get control of your summon."

Zaku looked over and groaned. The creature couldn't be seen.

"All right… Dosu, you kill the bitch. I'll deal with the Uchiha and the idiot." He got up and stalked over the shelter. Sakura struggled, trying to get out of Dosu's grip. Kin kicked her in the ribs, making her cry out.

"Silly little girl, playing ninja," she sneered. She grabbed Sakura's hair and yanked her close, breathing menacingly in Sakura's hair.

"Having such long, soft hair. Doesn't look like you take things very seriously," Kin further said with a smirk. Sakura kept her eyes closed, teeth gritted in pain… Before she slammed a fist into Kin's stomach, using a kunai to slash off her ponytail in the same movement. She leapt to tackle Dosu, but her ears exploded in blood as his gauntlet came near.

"AUGH!" She shrieked, as he punched her back. Dosu closed his visible eye, as though he was smirking.

"Shame… She's not too bad looking. Little flat," Dosu commented. Sakura grimaced, holding her ears. She saw Zaku approach the shelter, hands outstretched. She began shrieking out in warning, not able to hear herself but hoping she could alert Sasuke and Naruto in time…

A flash of green entered her vision, and Sakura saw the last person she'd ever thought she'd see.

"_OSSU_! I am Rock Lee, Konoha's Beautiful Green Beast! And I am here to save my beloved Sakura-san! Please retreat now!" The green-clad shinobi declared, assuming that same strange fighting stance from before, with one arm behind his back and the other forward. Absently, Sakura noted the squirrel on his shoulder.

"Um… Lee? Why is there a squirrel on your shoulder?" She asked, almost numbly.

Lee grinned.

"It was this squirrel, my beloved Sakura-chan, who led me to your location, so that I could defend you! Yes, the power of squirrels is the power of youth!"

_**Dream, yes… This must be a dream…**_ Inner Sakura mumbled. _**Why can't I have dreams where I'm between Sasuke-kun and Naru-?**_

_FINISH THAT SENTENCE AND DIE! _Outer Sakura thought viciously.

While our favorite pink-haired genin was contemplating a nervous breakdown, the Sound genin collectively blinked at Lee. Even the Heartless they had summoned stared, as though unable to make anything of Konoha's self-proclaimed Beautiful Green Beast.

"… Did someone drop you on your head when you were a baby?" Kin asked seriously. Lee shook his head.

"No, fair Sound kunoichi-san! Though Gai-sensei and I do often drop ourselves on our heads as part of our rigorous training! Shall I demonstrate it to you?" He asked in equal seriousness. Kin blushed at the same time she sweat dropped, while her male companions glowered.

"Enough of this! Kill the fruitcake and be done with it!" Zaku shouted, air cannons at the ready. Lee smiled confidently, his squirrel squeaking in a seemingly encouraging tone.

"You will not find that easy! _Konoha Senpū!__"_ Lee shouted, leaping into the air and spinning to meet the Sound ninja leaping into the air. He kicked Zaku in the stomach, sending him flying into a tree directly ahead, and shifted his course to kick Dosu, sending him flying to the hard ground below. Kin gawked but had no time to react as Lee's third and final kick connected with her chest, slamming into the ground and tumbling away.

"Gah… This freak's tougher than he looks," Zaku mumbled, shaking his head. Sakura too was stunned by Lee's performance, and couldn't help her blush as he turned and gave her a thumbs up, perfect teeth glinting in the sunlight.

"Do not worry, Sakura-san! I will let no harm come to you! This I promise!"

"Well, too bad it's a promise you're gonna break!" Dosu stated, as the Sound ninja regrouped. They summoned several smaller, purple creatures that floated above them, similar to the black demon from before. Zaku smirked.

"Nightmare Chorus, attack!"

- - - - - - - - - - - -

"Oh for crying out loud! Lee! Where did he go?" Tenten glowered, narrowing her eyes and scanning the forest. Neji had his Byakugan activated as he leapt with her.

"The idiot said he would only go to the bathroom," Neji snorted. "Probably got lost or…"

"Or?" Tenten prompted.

"Or he's fighting to defend Team Seven from those Sound ninja from before," Neji commented, shifting course and accelerating through the foliage. Tenten followed, biting her lower lip.

"Can… Can you see Naruto? The blond ninja."

The Hyuuga frowned, but widened his area of scan.

"Yes. I'd recognize his chakra signature anywhere, though it's dangerously low, like the Uchiha's."

"So that explosion yesterday?"

"They seem connected," Neji allowed, a frown growing on his face.

Three other chakra signatures appeared in his vision. He raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like some of our fellow Leaf ninja are giving the idiot some assistance, before us," he commented. Tenten nodded, her keen eyes picking out the battlefield.

"I can see that… Woah. What the hell are those things?"

Neji focused in. He could see the creatures moving about, but as far as what they were? They only appeared as black shapes in his bloodline's vision.

- - - - - - - - - -

Lee fell back from Dosu, clutching his ears. Sakura had gotten some distance from the Sound ninja, stumbling after him. Though Lee had valiantly fought the floating purple creatures, their use of directed sound as a weapon slowed him down enough for Dosu to get in a hit with his Melody gauntlet.

"L-Lee!" She called out, her hearing gradually returning. However, it was like being underwater, everything she hurt was distorted.

He caught Zaku yell something, but her eyes widened at their results. A dozen more of the same creatures from before appeared, the shadows converging on Lee.

"Lee! No!" Sakura shouted. She pushed some chakra into her fist and brought it down on one of the demons. The energy passed into the creature and turned it into dust. Encouraged, Sakura leapt after another before a fist slammed into the back of her neck. She fell, tasting blood in her mouth. She snarled in defiance, trying to get to Lee, but her assailant wouldn't let her go, and the creatures were closing in….

"_THUNDER_!" Blasts of lightening dropped on the dark creatures, blasting them to dust. The pressure on her neck abruptly vanished. Sakura didn't pause. She got back up and crawled over to Lee, checking him, and then dragging him out of the line of fire as Team Ten joined the battle. She couldn't help her incredulous expression as she saw Ino.

_Is she calling down lightening from the sky?! How the hell is she doing that?!_

"Die!" Ino screamed. "_FIRE_!"

Three blasts of flame burst from her staff at Zaku, who deflected them with his air cannons.

Chouji launched himself at Zaku next, calling out "_NIKUDEN SENSHA!",_ while Shikamaru threw kunai to make Kin fall back.

Chouji did little better against Zaku than Ino, his bulk spinning in place against the force of the Sound nin's hand cannons.

However, it did allow Ino to attack from the side. Leaping down, blonde hair whipping out behind her like a flag, and her staff blazing with power, she shouted her attack once more.

"_FIRE_!" Three blasts hit the ground under Zaku's feet, blasting him into a sprawling heap. Chouji broke through, still in Meat Tank form and barreling for Sakura and Lee.

"Ack!" She shouted, dragging the unconscious _taijutsu_ specialist out of the path of the Akimichi. They tumbled, and she found herself under the extremely heavy Lee.

"Gah…" She muttered, struggling out from under the mercifully still unconscious Lee.

"Oh, sorry Sakura!" Chouji shouted. Sakura turned to glare at Chouji, before her eyes widened.

"CHOUJI, LOOK OUT!" She shouted, as a huge, black creature that resembled the Akimichi in his Meat Tank jutsu form appeared. Chouji turned around just in time to be bowled over by the creature's charge, flying and tumbling into a tree root.

"Oooh… What hit me?" He muttered. Chouji shook his head and dodged as the monster charged for him again, and formed handseals.

"_Bubun Baika no Jutsu!"_ Chouji shouted, his arms growing to massive size and slamming down on the beast's head. He crushed it into a cloud of black smoke, but before he could savor his triumph two more appeared.

"All right! Take this! _NIKUDEN SENSHA!"_ He became a giant ball of human flesh once more and rolled at full against the two charging creatures. Sakura ducked as they rammed into each other, bouncing off into the directions they'd come from. Chouji's technique failed with a poof of smoke, leaving him lying dazed against a tree trunk, while his adversaries got back up and began to lumber for him, through slowly.

Shikamaru, in the meantime, was finding himself occupied. Kin summoned flying Heartless, that resembled small lanterns floating in the air. They were all purple, and fired sonic blasts after him that he was hard-pressed to dodge. His shadow jutsus were little good while he was on the move, and he had to be as the little demons kept swarming him.

"Man, this is too troublesome…" He muttered, jumping to a branch and flipping onto the top, as the flying lantern demons flew under him. He tossed an explosive tag after them and leapt away, a small smirk emerging on his face as the creatures were blown to smithereens.

"You little punk! I'm going to kill you!" Kin shouted, throwing kunai of her own. Shikamaru blocked them, cursing as he spotted Zaku recovering from Ino's attack. Said kunoichi was occupied with several larger black creatures Dosu had summoned. Shikamaru frowned.

_Don't know what this'll do, but…_ He engaged his family's signature jutsu and reached out, grabbing the shadows of a few smaller creatures nearby. They just _looked_ at him and sunk back into the ground, and his shadow lines seemed to swell as they followed them back _to him._

"Crap, this is just not my day," Shikamaru growled, disengaging the jutsu and leaping away as the demons continued to increase in number.

"Ino, if it's not _too_ much trouble-"

"I've got my _own_ problems, Shikamaru! Deal with it!" Ino shrieked back, ducking a swing from a large black creature and blasting a purple, lantern-shaped one with a fire blast. She cursed-She was already low on chakra, having to use so many high level jutsus in such a short amount of time.

"Where's Naruto when you need him? Or Sasuke?" She muttered in anger and concern.

A massive spike of chakra from behind caught her attention. She spun around, eyes widening at the sight. For a moment she was concerned the Sound ninja would take advantage of her shift in attention, but a quick check revealed she didn't have to worry.

They were just as focused on the dark figure, surrounded by a towering maelstrom of burning, demonic chakra. The figure looked up, red Sharingan eyes blazing, as a smile came over his face.

Normally, Ino would have been happy to see a smile on Sasuke's face, but this…

Combined with the terrifying chakra pressure, bizarre markings spreading across his body like a rash, and frightening, almost insane glint in his eyes…

_Sasuke-kun, what the heck happened to you?_ She wondered, clutching her staff more tightly.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Sasuke had to admit… He hadn't expected to wake up feeling this _good. _Hell, part of him thought he'd never wake up again. His promise, once more, falling to the might of the forces opposed to his vengeance.

But _this…_

He felt a giggle come up from within him, and he let it out as he continued to look at his hands. Chakra, visible chakra swirled around him in a maelstrom. According to his Sharingan, it was dense, energetic, _powerful…_

Sasuke looked at the broken _chokuto_ in his hand, one swiftly becoming covered by black stripe-like markings. He grinned. He felt like he could take on and defeat_ anyone._

Instinctively he focused some of his new chakra to his broken blade, and the burning energies took the form of a long, jagged sword. Almost like the wing of a raven, it wavered and changed as though a cross between smoke and feathers.

He giggled again, feeling _giddy._ His thoughts seemed to rush about at random, until they settled on one thing:

_I want to fight someone…_

He looked out over the clearing, seeing the demons, and some of his teammates. The unconscious Naruto behind him didn't matter. Naruto couldn't fight, so he had no interest-

_Sakura… Injured…_ She was staring at him, eyes and mouth wide, as she crouched near the limp body of Rock Lee. He stared at her, unfamiliar feelings welling up in him. They seemed to be summed up in one word:

_MINE…_

"Who did that to you, Sakura?" He asked, and in an instant he was before her, staring down, smiling. She was staring back at him, shocked, moving slowly, so _slowly,_ but he didn't mind. Everything seemed to be moving so quickly and slowly at the same time and Sakura was here. Sakura was hurt.

Sakura had been hurt. Which meant she had been fighting.

_MINE, FIGHT, MINE!_

"Who?" He asked again. He heard a laugh. Identified the source.

"We did, Uchiha! And we're going to do worse to you!" Chakra building up in his arms, wind merging with it…

Sasuke simply took Sakura's hand and pulled her up, before grabbing Rock Lee and tossing him out of the line of fire, before pulling Sakura away. She was gripping his hand tightly, still staring, eyes wide. He felt more stares.

_FIGHT, KILL, MINE!_

His blade lashed out and struck through one of the demons circling around. It dissolved-Hardly interesting to him. Still, maybe killing more would be interesting? The boy who hurt Sakura wasn't strong enough to be a challenge…

"What the hell are you?" Said boy shouted in disbelief. Sasuke grinned.

_Hurt Sakura, hurt Sakura, hurt him, MINE, no one hurts mine…_

He was behind the boy now, blade having moved so quickly that Sasuke barely noticed him screaming as his hand came off. Sasuke kept grinning. _Pain to others… This power… It increases when I cause pain…_

"You seemed proud of your hands," Sasuke noted casually, as the Sound ninja fell to the ground, gripping his bloody stump in agony. "I took one. Shall I take another?"

"Sasuke, stop it! Please! This isn't you!" Sakura shouted. Sasuke ignored her, slashing apart another demon as it tried to attack him. _Pests…_

"You're not laughing now…" Sasuke added. He held the blade up, savored the terror in the eyes of the Sound ninja, grinned just that much more…

"Bastard, what the hell are you doing?!"

Light in the back of his chakra senses. Hope, strength, power… Sasuke grinned and giggled again, turning back to see Naruto stumbling out of the shelter, Keyblade in hand.

"Dead last… Fight me," he stated, holding his new dark blade out in challenge.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Okay, this wasn't what I was expecting when I woke up this morning,_ Naruto decided.

The Keyblade and his own chakra senses were screaming _not right_ about the chakra now enveloping Sasuke. Not to mention the weapon he now wielded.

It resembled a curved bat wing, cruel spines on the inner blade that glistened blood red in the sunlight. The guard of the blade was also wing-like, only pure black and feathered, forming protection for Sasuke's knuckles but only on one side of the hilt.

The most prominent feature of the weapon, however, was the circular emblem between blade and guard. It was blood red, with a single black circle in the center and three black tadpole-shaped spots swimming around it. It was a perfect Sharingan, though Naruto didn't know this.

_Is that thing a Keyblade too?_ Naruto thought, disturbed. If it was, it seemed as dark as the Kyuubi blade… And potentially just as powerful.

_Crap, what am I going to do?_ The blond thought frantically, as Sasuke advanced, still grinning disturbingly.

Pale arms suddenly closed around Sasuke from behind in an embrace, and Sakura's sobs could be heard over the commotion.

"Sasuke-kun, please! Please, stop! This isn't you! This _can't_ be you! Please!" She cried, holding him tightly. Sasuke continued to stare down Naruto, black blade in his hand. The blond kept his Keyblade at the ready should the Uchiha still attack.

The dark chakra began to fade, as the black markings began to recede from Sasuke's skin. He collapsed, panting heavily, as his once more broken _chokuto_ fell from his grasp.

Naruto breathed a sigh of relief (and a bigger one when the Sound nin dispelled the demons they'd summoned). Still, he held out his Keyblade in challenge if they tried anything.

The mummy-like one (his team-mates had called him Dosu) stepped forward, sleeve-covered hands raised in a peaceful expression, while Kin tried to stem the bleeding from Zaku's wrist. The handless-Sound ninja was obviously trying not to cry, but the pain had to be intense.

Naruto returned his attention to Dosu, who revealed a scroll. The Sound ninja tossed it to Naruto, who caught it with a frown.

"What's this?"

"Our scroll," Dosu replied. "We must get our comrade medical attention… Mark my words, however, Uzumaki Naruto that we will meet again. You will not be so… Fortunate, next time," he finished flatly. Naruto narrowed his eyes back.

"How did you know my name?" He asked.

Dosu merely smirked and leapt away into the shadows, soon followed by Kin supporting Zaku.

Naruto growled. This just didn't feel right…

"Ugh…" Groaned someone nearby. He turned and gaped at the downed Chouji.

"Chouji! Hey! You okay?" He called, rushing over and kneeling next to the large shinobi. Naruto was a poor student, true, but since first aid had been taught at the start of the academy he'd recalled a lot of what had been taught.

_Okay, chakra levels are low but not dangerously… Pulse is steady…_ _And, um…_

Okay, maybe not _much,_ but Chouji looked all right. He sat up and grimaced, rubbing his head.

"Ow… What hit me? Naruto? You okay?" Chouji asked, looking concerned. Naruto grinned. Good old Chouji. Even when he'd gotten his ass kicked around, he still put others first.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks you guys showing up… What happened?"

"Well, we saw Forehead and Spandex Boy fighting off Sound Ninja, and spotted your chakra signatures," Ino huffed, leaning against her staff demurely.

"You didn't look like you were in any condition to fight, so we dropped in."

"Troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled as he walked over. "Those summons of theirs were strange… Never seen or heard of anything like that."

Ino rolled her eyes.

"Since when do you pay attention to anything other than clouds and _shogi?"_

Shikamaru shrugged.

"Sometimes it's less troublesome to pay attention," he said, walking over to Chouji. The large bodied genin smiled happily, and Naruto got up to check on the rest of the Leaf ninja.

He was treated to the rather amusing sight of Tenten shaking the hell out of Lee.

"YOU IDIOT! You have any _idea_ how long we've been looking for you? And why the hell did you go off on your own anyway?!" The weapons specialist demanded. Lee, though spinny-eyed, managed a coherent response.

"Uh… I had to… Save Sakura-chan, Tenten-san! I could not abandon her to such an unyouthful fate!"

Above on a tree branch, Hyuuga Neji snorted. He clearly looked impatient, and shot Naruto a glare, as though he were responsible for the time his team was wasting. Naruto just smirked back and looked over at Sakura and Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan, you okay?"

The pink-haired girl nodded, fussing over Sasuke, who looked rather annoyed about it. Ino walked over and began fussing as well, which led the two kunoichi to arguing a bit.

"Leave Sasuke-kun alone, Ino-Pig!"

"Haven't I earned some time with him, Forehead? I did save you and him, after all."

Sasuke's grunt and glare at _that_ caused her to quickly add:

"Um, not that _you_ need saving, Sasuke-kun! But Forehead here, she's so _helpless…_ Look at your hair!"

Sakura's hand went up to her messily shorn locks, and she winced, as though Sasuke would find her hideous now. With a sigh, Ino stood up, took a kunai, and sat behind Sakura. The pink-haired girl blinked.

"Huh?"

"Look, I'll just fix up your hair, okay?" She said, trimming Sakura's pink locks carefully. Sasuke got up, stubbornly, and walked away, looking at Naruto with a demanding look on his face.

"Our gear?" He asked. Naruto cocked his head to the tree hollow, and Sasuke grunted, stalking over. The blond rolled his eyes.

_Even after all that he's still got that stick up his ass…_

"Hey Naruto?" The blond looked up at Tenten, who had left Lee alone and now approached him.

"Yeah Tenten?" Naruto asked, giving her a small smile. She actually seemed to blush, but pressed on.

"That… That explosion yesterday… What happened there?"

Naruto laughed uneasily.

"Er, well… Let's just say a new move of mine didn't work out exactly as I'd planned…"

"Are you kidding? We could feel it from a mile away!" Tenten emphasized. "Just what kind of move was it anyway? Because if that was how it was when it wasn't 'working out as planned', then…" She grinned and shrugged a bit. Naruto grinned back nervously.

"Um, well… If I ever manage to do it again, you'll be the first to know, heh…"

Sakura walked over, finishing wrapping her forearms in bandages. She held up a Heaven scroll happily.

"Hey Naruto, Ino-Pig's willing to trade us the scroll we needed for the extra Earth scroll we got from the Sound ninja."

"All right! Third stage, here we come!" Naruto crowed, handing it over.

"Just try not to blow up any more parts of the forest again, Naruto," Ino quipped dryly. Sasuke, now with his gear back on his pack, shot Naruto a glare to which the blond just shrugged. Considering how Sasuke had acted while in that weird mode… With that dark blade… He didn't want to risk provoking the Uchiha into summoning it again.

_At least, not until I'm strong enough to fight him off,_ he added mentally, tightening the grip on his Keyblade.

"Yeah, yeah, same to you fire bug," he returned to Ino with a smirk. The blonde stuck her tongue out and headed out, Shikamaru following with a sigh and a "troublesome", while Chouji bounced after.

"Tenten, Lee, let's go," Neji commanded. Tenten winked at Naruto.

"I'll see you at the tower, Naruto-_kun_," she teased, before leaping off. The blond couldn't help but blush just a bit at that. Lee staggered afterwards, giving Sakura a grin and thumbs up.

"OSSU! I will see you soon, Sakura-san! Naruto-san, Sasuke-san, I look forward to meeting you in the next part of the exam!" With that, he leapt off after his team into the trees.

"Man, is that guy weird," Sakura noted, shaking her head. Though Naruto saw the small smile on her face as she said it.

"C'mon," Sasuke said irritably. "If we move at full speed we make it to the tower before nightfall." He jumped up into the foliage and took off. Naruto paused and shot a grin at Sakura. She frowned and narrowed her eyes at him.

"What?"

"I _saw_ you… Smiling at Lee. Someone getting over her obsession with emo boys?"

"Shut up Naruto!" She bawled, jumping off after the Uchiha. Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's a start," he decided. "Either she wises up, or the bastard gets wise…"

Sure, Sasuke was an asshole, but when someone puts their life on the line for you, they kind of grow on you. Even if they were arrogant clan heirs with sticks up their butts.

And Sakura, well… He just wanted her happy. He saw that she desperately needed someone to either make her happy, or help her find a way to it herself, and Naruto hoped he could be that person.

"Aw damnit, I'm getting all mushy and introspective… Again," he noted in disgust. He glared at the Keyblade. "This is all _your_ fault, you know."

He leaped after his comrades, switching his thoughts to the tower, and third part of the exam to come. Trying to keep his thoughts off Sasuke's transformation, and that dark blade that was frighteningly familiar…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Not too far away, Kabuto's team had caught up with him. The medic ninja was looking into the distance as his comrades landed on the branch he stood on, flanking Kabuto on both sides.

"You have the scrolls?" He asked. Misumi nodded.

"Took 'em off a Mist team and a Stone team. Small fry," he said flatly. Yoroi snorted.

"The Mist ones were trying to set up an ambush near the tower with a pathetic genjutsu. Easy pickings. As for the Stone… Feh. Insects."

"Good," Kabuto spoke. "We should find Zaku's team. They suffered rather severe injuries fighting Sasuke-kun."

"So, the Uchiha survived?" Yoroi asked. Kabuto nodded.

"As did the Keybearer… Orochimaru will be pleased." He crouched. "Come-We have a limited amount of time before gangrene sets in."

Yoroi and Misumi both smirked behind their masks at the implication, and followed Kabuto. One of those hotshot genin punks being in pain _never_ got old...

They were not disappointed.

"AUGH! God damn it, Kabuto you shit! Couldn't have gotten here _sooner?!"_ Zaku demanded, cradling what was left of his hand. Kin stood back a ways, eying Kabuto warily, while Dosu crouched near their injured teammate.

"You can help him, I presume," Dosu spoke quietly. Kabuto smirked and knelt, pulling out a scroll from his pack. Releasing it's seal in a burst of smoke, the medic produced an elegant, metallic hand. Zaku gazed at it in wonder, even as Kabuto unwrapped the crude bandages around his stump.

"This is but one of a few experimental replacement limbs I have been working on… And carrying with me," Kabuto explained at Dosu's look of suspicion. Even Kabuto wasn't good enough to predict this happening.

"Force some of your chakra into it, and it will bind automatically with your flesh.

Zaku did so, directing some of the energy into his wrist-And screaming in agony as it glowed. Kabuto grabbed Zaku's wrist and held him still, forcing some of his own healing chakra into his arm. Zaku bit his lip and squelched his screams, as the pain gradually subsided. He experimentally flexed his new metal fingers, and smiled as they responded to his will.

"This hand is very strong. Direct sufficient chakra into it and you can punch through solid marble. But be warned-Do not overexert yourself. You may burn all of your chakra if you are careless," Kabuto stated flatly. Zaku nodded, as Kabuto stood up and looked at the whole team.

"Now then… Orochimaru will want to hear how you used the Heartless in battle. I will take your report to him. So, why don't you start at the beginning?"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07: Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Updated 6/18/07:__ Extended Lee's battle with the Sound ninja, and gave him his squirrel. I loved that scene in the anime and can't believe I forgot it! Also expanded the scene with the Sound Ninja surrender and the aftermath, as it needed more meat to it._

_So ends the Forest of Death. No Mist ninja ambush this time around. Whether they died or not will be revealed in time._

_I had originally wanted Sasuke and Naruto to fight, but considering Naruto's exhausted condition I didn't want to press my luck as far as keeping to canon limitations of the characters._

_I gave Chouji a bigger role in this fight than in the canon I think. He took out a Heartless on his own, which is no mean feat, but I explain it being his strong heart and the fact his techniques fill him with chakra, which is close enough to magic to do enough harm to Heartless._

_Also, any complaints about the characters not being at such and such a power level or should be at such a level will be dutifully ignored. Not out of malice but because it's my story and I'll write it as I see fit. Again, I'm trying to translate the mechanics of a video game world to an anime world, which is no easy task if you're trying to do it right._

_I tried to base Sasuke's curse seal episode on some written experiences of people on mood altering drugs. Hopefully I did it reasonably well and didn't make him too mushy concerning Sakura. _

_Hope you Zaku fans like the fact he's gone Darth Vader. His battles will certainly prove interesting._

_Is Sasuke's new weapon the Soul Eater? Sort of. It's a magic sword based on the Keyblade in that it's an expression of it's wielder's will and power, but corrupted and far less powerful in the long run. I wouldn't mind suggestions for its name._

_And, as always, please review!_

_To make up for the relatively short chapter, here's an omake. Feel free to write and submit your own via personal messenger or email:_

Omake: What Kind of Demon Again…?

Kakashi blinked as he faced off against Zabuza. _Is that the Kyuubi's power…? But, it doesn't feel like it…_

Zabuza also blinked at the unusual chakra signature. He focused his eyes beyond the mist to the mirrors Haku had surrounded her prey in.

Within the mirrors, Haku gaped at the sight before her. The Uchiha was down, the strange chakra was growing ever more powerful from Naruto…

Who, instead of attacking, merely grinned at her while leaning on a red chakra tail.

"Prepare to be bounced, cause that's what ninjas do the best! Woo hoo hoo hooo!"

With that, Naruto bounced abou, his chakra aura's shape beginning to resemble the profile of a certain stuffed tiger.

"_Oh the wonderful thing about ninjas, is that ninjas are a wonderful thing! Their tops are made outta rubbah! Their bottoms are made outta springs! They're bouncy trouncy rouncy fun fun fun fun fun! Oh but the most wonderful thing about ninjas, is that I'm the greatest one! I'M, the greatest one!"_ Naruto concluded.

"_KAWAIIII!!!_" Haku squealed, before leaping out of her mirrors to glomp the bouncing ninja.

Zabuza groaned, as Kakashi unsuccessfully smothered a laugh.

"Her one weakness…"


	16. Binding Shadows in Darkness

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Iruka sighed happily as he shut off the shower, pushing aside the curtain and letting the steam waft into the air. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he stepped over to the sink and reached for his toothbrush.

A tug on his entire body, a cloud of smoke, and a coughing fit later found Iruka staring at Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, in the middle of the forest.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto ventured nervously. Iruka groaned, and made sure his towel was secure.

"Yes Naruto, nice to see you too. And alive, though your timing is as good as ever," the chuunin scowled. Sakura blushed heavily.

"Um, I'm sorry sensei! We just, um, saw that we needed to open the scrolls, and, well… Uh…" The pink-haired girl averted her eyes.

Iruka sighed, and shook his head. He smiled.

"Well, can't be helped. I'm glad to see you all made it though. Come on, let's get you in." Stiffly he turned and began walking into the imposing tower, Team Seven following. They went down a hard stone hallway, finally reaching a pair of large stone doors. Iruka deftly shoved them open and walked through, ignoring the gawks he attracted from other ninja in the vast chamber. Particularly from Mitarashi Anko, who licked her lips and smirked as the chuunin approached. Iruka fought down his blush.

"Team Seven has made it, with both scrolls and all members," Iruka reported in a business-like tone, not looking in the direction of any snickers he heard. Anko grinned.

"Oh, I can see that," she purred suggestively.

_Damnit, damnit, damnit!_ He mentally chanted to himself as he blushed. The purple-haired woman's grin grew.

"Well, if that's all, then I'll just be going," Iruka said flatly, turning and heading back for the exit, one hand securely around his towel.

"Wait up just one minute… Iruka, was it?" Anko called. He sighed and turned around, as Anko walked up, still grinning.

"The Hokage wanted to talk to you about something when you came here… So stick around. The place could use some eye candy." She winked, which made Iruka's blush even worse.

"Do you have a change of clothes for me?" He asked. Anko grinned.

"You can send for them, but it'll take a while…"

"Dandy," Iruka stated. "Well, no reason for you three to stand around all day. The quarters for the teams should be in the same place…"

With that, Iruka turned and walked out the double doors, his face burning bright red at the cat calls and whistles that followed. Naruto followed, also rather embarrassed for his sensei and glaring back at Anko, who merely smirked sexily.

"This is not what I was expecting," Sakura mumbled, her inner self chanting _**Look! Look! Look! Damnit, so we're promised to Sasuke! Doesn't mean we're dead!**_

_But it's Iruka-sensei!_

_**So? He's hot for an older guy!**_

_And WAY too old for me…_

_**Not too old for you to just look, you prude…**_

Naruto blinked and stared as Sakura's face switched between teasing and murderous. He gulped, and increased his pace to match Iruka's.

"Er… Iruka-sensei? What's with Sakura-chan?"

Iruka sighed and shook his head.

"Naruto, there are some things about women you're just going to have to find out for yourself…"

"Indeed," stated Kakashi, appearing behind them. Naruto and Sakura immediately began talking at once.

"Kakashi-sensei, am I glad to see you! In the forest, we got attacked by this transsexual-freak-!"

"He bit Sasuke-kun and-!"

"We fought this huge battle, and I totally kicked ass-!"

"Naruto got eaten by a snake and I had to drag us all to safety-!"

"WHAT?!" Iruka bellowed into the conversation, making Sakura and Naruto flinch. Sasuke snarled at his teammates.

"Damnit, you shouldn't have told him about it!" The Uchiha seethed.

"Oh, what, we shouldn't be _worried_ about you? The great, _invincible_ Sasuke bastard?" Naruto shot back. Sakura bit her lower lip but stood firm.

"Kakashi-sensei needs to know… And besides Sasuke-kun, you're not the only one that Orochimaru messed with!"

The temperature in the hallway seemed to drop ten degrees, as both Iruka and Kakashi wore twin expressions of shock.

"Orochimaru?!" Iruka gasped. Kakashi grabbed Sasuke by the shoulder and looked into his eyes.

"What did he do to you? Tell me!" The jounin demanded. Sasuke scowled.

"He… Bit me… And put a weird seal on me," he stated, extremely reluctantly.

"Where?" Sasuke turned slowly to one side, lifting up his hair from the back of his neck. He gritted his teeth as he felt it react, as though the seal was unwilling to be seen.

"… I see," Kakashi stated simply, flatly. He turned to Naruto and Sakura.

"You two are allright otherwise, correct?"

Naruto flinched, and Kakashi mentally noted that he would have to teach the blond better control of his emotions.

"Um, the guy put this seal… On me too… He didn't bite me! Just used his hand and put it… On my stomach," Naruto got out, eyes indicating the significance of 'stomach'. Kakashi sighed.

"All right… Naruto, Sakura, go with Iruka to the infirmary and get checked out. I'll be by soon to see your seal, Naruto, but for now I need to seal Sasuke's. _Immediately,"_ he finished in a tone that would clearly tolerate no dissent. Sasuke's scowl deepened, but he followed his teacher anyway, ignoring the concerned expression on Sakura's face.

"Kakashi-sensei, you'll take care of Sasuke-kun, right?"

"Yes, I will. Now go. Oh, and Iruka?"

The chuunin frowned.

"Yes Kakashi?"

"Might want to see to the towel," the jounin said quietly, with a hint of amusement in his tone. Iruka looked down and blushed heavily. His towel was nearly undone. With a scowl he pulled it up and tightened it around his waist.

"Yeah, thanks," he snorted, ignoring the blushing Sakura as he led her and Naruto down the hallway towards the clinic in the tower.

Unseen by the Leaf ninja, a single eye floated at the top of the hallway, watching their progress, before dissolving into sand. _(New) _

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The Third Hokage sighed as he made his down the hospital hallway. His long robes waving with every step, his keen eyes found the door he was seeking. Stepping up to it, he knocked.

"Come in," was the reply, and the Hokage entered, the hospital door sliding open with barely a whisper.

Leaning over his daughter, Ichiraku Teuchi was looking over her still form with anxiety. Sarutobi closed the room door behind him and approached, keeping his distance out of habit. Protector the Hokage may be, but sometimes a little distance was needed between the shield and the target.

"Naruto made it to the tower, safe and sound," he began without preamble. Teuchi turned away from Ayame and nodded, a slight smile on his wrinkled face.

"Good… I take it though, he ran into some trouble?"

"Orochimaru," Sarutobi said simply, and the current ramen chef bared his teeth in a snarl.

"The snake…? What's he doing back here?"

"At a guess, nothing good," Sarutobi said quietly, discretely casting a privacy jutsu around the room. "Combined with our recent diplomatic problems with Suna, and something seems to be brewing."

"Invasion?" Asked Teuchi. Sarutobi frowned.

"Possibly… Countries in desperate straits do not always see reason. But enough of that. What is her condition?" Sarutobi nodded to Ayame. Teuchi sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Even my master couldn't have predicted Naruto getting the Keyblade, and his notes on anything like _that_ occurring were purely theoretical. It was considered almost impossible." Sarutobi chuckled.

"Well, he _is_ Konoha's most surprising ninja," the Hokage noted.The ramen chef sat down in a nearby plastic chair, one hand to his chin in thought. Sarutobi nodded and became serious once more.

"He's changed… Not as though he's being influenced, but more like he's being truer to himself. More mature, more thoughtful…" Sarutobi smirked slightly. "_Far_ more sarcastic…"

"The Keyblade seems to bring out the true power of its bearer's inner self, not to mention it serves to link his heart to those he cares about," Teuchi mused. He shook his head as Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"You mean… That's what happened here? He formed a link to Ayame?"

"Looks that way," Teuchi agreed. "Whether it was acting to increase his resistance to… His tenant's influence, or increase his power… Or both… It's hard to tell."

"She can't tell you?" Asked Sarutobi. The ramen chef shook his head.

"When she came to she didn't know what had happened. I brought her here to be checked out just in case, but everything's… Normal, for lack of a better term."

"Normal according to the medic ninja… Or normal according to you?" Sarutobi asked. Teuchi shrugged.

"Her chakra coils, such as they are, look fine… But there is definitely left over magical energy inside her. The link is offline, but not broken."

"Hmm… Of course, the real question becomes… Why Ayame?" Sarutobi mused. "Why would the Keyblade link her heart to Naruto's?" The Hokage looked at Ichiraku.

"Do you have a theory?"

"Several, actually," Teuchi confessed with a wry smile, "but nothing firm. I'll have to do my own tests… And keep Ayame-chan from finding out."

"Of course," Sarutobi agreed. "And Naruto as well… He's got enough on his mind as it is at the moment."

Teuchi nodded, and turned back to his daughter, as the Hokage turned and exited. The old ninja frowned as he spied a black bird sitting on the window. He stared at him… Before flying off. Sarutobi shook his head, and used a teleportation jutsu to return to his office.

Everything looked precisely the same as always, aside from one slight detail…

The Hokage smirked.

"Jiraiya. Nice to see you again."

A chuckle was his response, as Jiraiya the Sannin appeared, landing lightly on the floor with a grin and dramatic wave of his long white mane.

"Sensei, always a pleasure to see you," he returned. Sarutobi shook his head and walked to his desk, sitting behind it.

"What brings you home? Surely not the chuunin exams," the Hokage commented, rummaging in his desk for his pipe and tobacco. Jiraiya smirked.

"Yes and no… Heard about Snake-bastard showing up again and decided to drop by, see what I could do."

The Hokage nodded, lighting his pipe and breathing in the rich smoke, before exhaling a smoke ring.

"I see… By the way, how is Mickey?"

"Feisty and round-eared as ever," Jiraiya noted, settling down in the chair before the desk. "To be honest though, he ranks as my number one reason why to never get married. His wife is always hounding him, heh."

"I'm sure there's a woman out there who could tame you," Sarutobi responded with a grin. Jiraiya smirked.

"We all have our callings, Sensei, and marriage isn't one of mine," the Toad Sage replied.

"Now then… What's the bastard been up to?"

"Looks like he's after the Sharingan," Sarutobi noted. "Though he also seemed to have some interest in Uzumaki Naruto."

"The Kyuubi brat?" Jiraiya asked with a frown. "The Sharingan, I can understand-Bastard's always been obsessed with jutsus. But why a_jinchurriki?_"

The sannin grimaced, a terrible thought entering his mind.

"You don't think…?"

"I doubt he knows," Sarutobi replied. "And even if he did, I doubt he would care all_that_ much. Even while we were world-hopping, he learned little about _that._"

Jiraiya nodded thoughtfully, as Sarutobi went on.

"It probably has more to do with Naruto becoming the bearer of the Keyblade."

Sarutobi inwardly smirked at the gob smacked expression on his former student's face._Still got it,_ he thought.

"… Kid has the_lousiest_ luck," the Toad Sage declared at last, shaking his head. "What does Teuchi have to say about it?"

"Not much… no one could have predicted that the Keyblade would choose Naruto. From what we've seen, and what Naruto's told me, the Kyuubi now has a direct link to Naruto's heart, if he uses it's chakra to power the Keyblade. If he uses it without the Keyblade, things should be as the Fourth Hokage designed, but…" Sarutobi sighed. Jiraiya frowned.

"Hard to tell, hm? Well… I'll give the seal a look-over, see if it needs modification, and look the kid over too," Jiraiya stated.

"If that damn thing's chosen him, it's best he knows what he's in for."

"Jiraiya, I'm trying to keep that from him until he's ready," the Hokage stated. Jiraiya snorted.

"If he's old enough to kill, and old enough to be chosen by the Keyblade, I say he's old enough to be told the truth."

"Right now he's got enough stress on him," Sarutobi argued calmly. "Adding more is not going to help. He needs to become aware _gradually…_ And besides, it's not as though _we_ actually know what the future holds for him?"

"No… But we both know what will happen if he falls," Jiraiya said quietly. The Hokage nodded.

"He knows this… And beating it into his head will not prevent it. I want him to try and live normally as long as possible… He's begun to make friends, allies, people who trust and care for him. I don't want him withdrawing behind his mask because he's afraid of hurting them."

Jiraiya took a deep breath… And blew it all out, shaking his head.

"Your call, Old Man… I just hope you're right."

Sarutobi looked out of one of the windows in his office, a pair of birds flying in the clear blue sky. It was a peaceful sight… But one that reminded the Hokage of how easily that peace could be broken.

"So do I," he replied quietly, puffing his pipe.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"I have to seal this, quickly," Kakashi stated, finishing drawing the circle of intricate patterns on the ancient stone floor. Sasuke sat in the middle, shirt off, hunched over, the curse seal mark glaringly obvious against his pale skin.

The Uchiha frowned.

"What is the danger of this thing? When it activated, I felt…"

"What you felt was not _true_ power, Sasuke," Kakashi stated, voice hard and serious. Sasuke felt a slight familiarity with the tone. It reminded him of his father, when he had done something foolish. He schooled his face into it's usual apathetic expression and turned his thoughts away from his family.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi sighed, standing up.

"The seal does not give you more power, Sasuke… It simply allows you to mold chakra more efficiently, because it _molds_ more of it _for_ you." Kakashi walked over to in front of Sasuke and crouched down, seeing eye to eye with the Uchiha survivor.

"Not only that, but… It influences your mind. It alters your subconscious, slowly twisting you into a mindless tool for its maker."

"Orochimaru," Sasuke answered his own unspoken question. Kakashi nodded grimly.

"It lets you mold chakra more efficiently, but it can only do so much. If you rely on it… It becomes a handicap, like an addictive drug. If I don't seal it now… And if you use it, then your development stops right here."

Sasuke's eyes widened, and then narrowed. He felt so _betrayed…_ All that raw _power,_ he'd felt invincible… But it was only an_illusion?_

"… Do it," he said at last. Kakashi nodded, his single visible eye softening.

"This will hurt, immensely," the jounin told him. Sasuke made no response, just increased his focus. Kakashi stood up and walked behind the Uchiha, making the appropriate hand seals.

"_Fūja Hōin!"_ Kakashi roared, slamming his hands down on the seal. Sasuke screamed in agony as white-hot pain burned through his body, his eyes closed as tightly as he could get them. Abruptly, the pain subsided, and Sasuke collapsed to the cold stone floor, breathing steadily. He stared into the darkness of the room with blank eyes.

A pair of black boots entered his vision. Sasuke tilted his head up, barely able to move, but it was enough to see the figure of the man standing over him, seemingly clothed in darkness.

"You have been connected," said the man, quietly but with a commanding presence that fell over Sasuke like a pile of rocks. Sasuke took a shaky breath.

"… Who… Are you?" He asked. The man continued to stand there, unmoving. Part of Sasuke's mind wondered what had happened to Kakashi, why he wasn't_doing_ anything about this intruder…

"Tied to the darkness... soon to be completely eclipsed," the man went on. Sasuke just felt more confused, angrier… And more fearful, though this he defiantly shoved deep into the pit of his chest.

"What… Do you mean?" Sasuke got out with gritted teeth. Everything seemed to grow darker, his vision fading, the cold stone underneath him no longer uncomfortable.

"There is so very much to learn. You understand so little… But in time," the man said, clear and ominous through the fog consuming his mind.

Sasuke finally closed his eyes, giving into a dreamless sleep.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kakashi frowned down at his student and tried to make sense of his rambling… He then looked where he was staring. His blood ran cold.

"Hello, Kakashi," a hissed, high-pitched voice spoke out of the darkness. Kakashi's lone visible eye widened as the pale form of Orochimaru entered the dim light of the chamber. He was dressed in a Konoha jounin uniform, same as Kakashi's, with a Konoha hitai-ate across his brow.

"Orochimaru," the Copy Ninja snarled, stepping in front of Sasuke. Orochimaru smirked.

"Oh, how you've grown since the last time we met," he crooned. "You already know_that_ seal? Most impressive…"

"What do you want?" Kakashi growled. Orochimaru grinned.

"What do I _want?_ I can't just visit old friends? Reminisce about yesterdays? I should think you would appreciate it."

"There is nothing you have done for me to _appreciate,"_ Kakashi returned angrily, "and whatever it is you've come to do, I _will_ stop you."

Orochimaru shook his head, a small laugh escaping his lips.

"I don't _need_ to do _anything_ more… Sasuke-kun is already mine. Soon, he will come looking for me. Soon, I will have him, and his _wonderful_ bloodline." The Snake Sannin licked his lips with a leer. Kakashi held down the rage he felt, as well as the doubt that creeped behind it.

"Sasuke is a Konoha ninja… He would _never_ go to you. Not to your empty promises, and shadows bound in the dark," Kakashi retorted. Orochimaru laughed again.

"Really? Are you so sure? Even you have to have seen the darkness inside him… The _rage._ He _lives_ for vengeance, he _needs_ it. He has no other ties to this world than that. And if I can give him the means to kill his brother, well…" Orochimaru licked his lips again, and Kakashi felt the doubt rise in him. He'd seen Sasuke's anger, all too well, his desire to be the best to take revenge…

_You've also seen him with Naruto and Sakura,_ a voice within him pointed out, gently but firmly. _He cares for them, or at least is beginning to._

"You're wrong… He won't join you… He is not as lost as you might think," the jounin got out, quietly but more confidently than before. Orochimaru snorted.

"Do you really think the Kyuubi brat can save him? Or the pink-haired girl? Even with the Keyblade, the boy cannot save Sasuke-kun. No, Kakashi, Sasuke is like me. He wants power… And he knows where to find it."

The Raikiri formed in his hand in an instant, Kakashi performing the hand seals so fast few ninja on the planet could have made them out. The raw power of lightening crackling in his hand, Kakashi glared in sheer determination.

"Then I will _destroy_ you, to keep him safe. Even if I die, at least you will be gone!"

This declaration, so full of heart and conviction… Was laughed at by the mad Sannin.

"If you think you can, then do so," Orochimaru shrugged, laughing as he turned his back and began walking away. Kakashi tensed, ready to charge, slam the screaming Raikiri through the chest of the Sannin…

But the crushing weight of reality fell on him, and the jounin let the Raikiri die.

_Give my life to destroy him? What was I _thinking?

Kakashi knew there were few ninja who were a match for him, but Orochimaru was definitely out of his league. Not only in sheer power, but also in experience. If he had charged… He'd have given his life for nothing.

So Kakashi watched Orochimaru vanish into the darkness, fists clenched, and feeling as though he had failed his old sensei once again…

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and extended the hallway scene with Gaara spying on Naruto (marked with a __(New) __ at the end), as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Sorry for the short chapter. My new math class is eating up a lot of my time and energy. Still, this gets us to the preliminaries of the Chuunin Exam, which will be covered next time._

_Teuchi's just full of surprises isn't he? Don't worry, I will reveal his past and connections, but slowly. I don't want to give everything away right off the bat after all._

_Expect to see more Heartless and more strange occurrences, as the Heartless gain more interest in Konoha._

_Yes, I do like Iruka/Anko, but I'm also fond of other pairing for our favorite chuunin schoolteacher, so like with Naruto you'll have to wait and see._

_Now, time for some omakes! _

By "The Dog"-

Momochi Zabuza growled under his breath as he looked at the two men across from him, both

of whom proved to be worth opponents. One of them was Auron, a quiet, focused, and

determined man. Even his very apparel seemed to radiate an aura of focused determination.

The other was a... pirate by the name of Jack Sparrow. He was the opposite of Auron in

dress and persona, especially all the trinkets in his hair. But this was quickly proved to

be just an act, for he proved to have a most cunning mind.

But the victory was Zabuza's, and he couldn't surpress a smirk as he laid down his cards,

revealing three 4s. "Three of a kind." Zabuza said, giving the both of them a challenging

glare.

Jack merely smiled as he said "Sorry mate, but I win. Four of a kind." He laid down the

four 5s in his hand. However, as he reached for the pot, Auron spoke up, saying only "This

is my game, and you're not winning it." before laying down his hand...

A royale flush.

As Auron pulled his winnings to him, Jack gathered up the cards and asked "So, another

hand lads?" Auron and Zabuza both nodded in agreement, Jack smiling as he dealt the cards again.

By Yamimaru

Omake 1

Naruto stared at Sasuke's outfit for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LAUGHING ABOUT DOBE?!?!"

"Just wondering how much the emo full-body condom cost you. And why in hell are you

wearing those bandages? Did you start cutting yourself or something. And please tell me

you haven't started listening to My Chemical Romance."

Sasuke stood staring at Naruto, mouth hanging wide open in shock while a few of the people

who had heard Naruto started laughing.

'How the hell did the dobe figure out that I listen to MCR?!?!'

By Andrew J. Talon

(Inspired by A-Kun)

It was one of their first off-world jobs, ever since Jiraiya had donated some old Gummi ships he'd "borrowed" from the Heartless, and Team 7 was irritated.

"Okay, does it make sense to any of you that the villains our clients face just seem to enjoy mucking up their planet for the heck of it?" Naruto asked.

"No. Then again, I'm wondering why they haven't just given that solar-powered technology of theirs to the rest of his world to stop all this 'pollution'," Sakura snorted.

"The whole group is a bunch of weak, annoying, whiny fools," Sasuke grumbled.

"Shhh… There's the target," Kakashi murmured, though he too was annoyed by their current job. They'd had the audacity to claim _his_ book wasn't environmentally friendly (whatever the hell _that_ meant)! Did they expect Jiraiya-sama to write his masterpieces on_rocks?_

The target was some greasy-haired guy wearing an exceeding tacky suit with animal furs lining it. Naruto snickered about "Cruella de Ville's soulmate," which led to Sakura telling him to be quiet… But they really shouldn't have bothered.

"We are the Planeteers! Time for you to pay for your crimes against the Earth!" Bellowed their clients. Kakashi slapped his hand to his forehead.

"So much for our sneak attack," Sakura mumbled, as the Planeteers began to "let their powers combine".

"Earth!" The target was simply standing there, staring in stupefaction at the teenagers and their magical spectacle. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Fire!"

"Wind!"

"Water!"

Sasuke pulled a Demon Wind Shuriken from his pouch and let it fly.

"Heart! GO- OH MY GOD THE BAD GUY'S BEEN CUT IN HALF!" The Planeteers screamed, as the target fell apart-Literally. They turned a collective glare at Sasuke, who shrugged.

"What?"

_More omakes to come! As always, please review and keep reading! Suggestions and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism always welcome, as well as new omakes!_


	17. Chuunin Exam Prelims, Part 1

**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Ayame sighed, wiping her brow free of sweat as she finished setting down some boxes of ingredients in the storage room of the ramen stand. She smiled and walked out to the front, where her eyes met a familiar sight.

"Iruka! It's nice to see you!"

The chuunin gave her a slightly strained smile in return, and looked down at the table. Ayame noticed his frown.

"Something wrong?"

Iruka sighed, and shook his head.

"Not exactly… My usual please?"

Ayame nodded, and set to work on the chuunin's usual ramen bowl. A few minutes of her frying noodles, and he spoke again.

"Where's your father?"

"Out, apparently to meet some old friend of his who happens to be a doctor," the ramen girl spoke, shaking her head. "Honestly, Father can be so overprotective at times!"

"Oh yeah, um, I heard about… You know," Iruka got out awkwardly. He smiled a bit. "Glad to see you feeling better."

"Trust me, it's even better for me," Ayame replied with a grin. She finished adding the meat and hard boiled eggs to the miso ramen, and set it before him. Iruka breathed in the scent of the bowl with a broad smile.

"Mmm… Just how I like it! Thanks for the food!" Iruka cried, before digging in. In between his slurps, Ayame noticed Iruka's worried brow.

"You know, you're going to end up with wrinkles if you keep worrying like that," Ayame pointed out. Iruka paused in his eating and shrugged, a self-deprecating smile on his face.

"Yeah, well… Lot to worry about."

"Oh?" Ayame asked. Iruka sighed.

"Naruto's made it to the third stage of the chuunin exams, but, well…"

Ayame smiled comfortingly.

"I'm sure he'll be fine… Don't worry."

Iruka shrugged.

"Sorry… It's just what I'm used to. I mean, first the Academy, then Mizuki, all the… Missions he's been on…" Iruka shook his head and sighed. He chuckled.

"I imagine the next hurdle after this will be women, and dating."

"Oh? What about Sakura?" Ayame asked, her eyes a bit narrowed at the thought of the Haruno girl. Iruka smiled.

"I think he's actually rethinking his 'eternal crush' on her. He _definitely_ treats her more like a sister now, which will hopefully encourage her to get more serious about being a ninja."

Ayame nodded and grinned.

"So, looks like he's maturing a bit more?"

Iruka nodded.

"Definitely."

Ayame tucked her fist under her chin, leaning forward with a thoughtful expression on her face. Iruka paused his eating, again, to look at her.

"What?"

She smiled.

"Well, then it looks like I may have a chance after all!" Ayame hummed with a wink at him. Iruka spat out his broth in shock

"_What?!"_ The chuunin gasped. Ayame maintained her thoughtful, cool demeanor.

"Sure, there's the age difference, but he _has_ started becoming very cute lately… I might have to stake my claim soon, before some other girl gets their claws in him!" She surmised with a slight blush on her cheeks.

Iruka sputtered incoherently as she sealed her victory with a wink.

"Ay-Ay-AYAME!"

The ramen girl just laughed, and gave him a free bowl of miso ramen in apology. Though she passed it off as a joke, she couldn't help but wonder a little at where her playful thoughts had come from, and why…

- - - - - - - -

Donald Duck walked one of the long corridors of Disney Castle, webbed feet lightly smacking against the rug-covered, marble floors. He smiled happily as he came to the huge double doors to the throne room.

_Exactly why did they make the doors so big anyway?_ The duck wondered, opening the smaller entrance in the doors. He entered the vast throne room, eyes on the pristine white throne itself.

"Your Majesty!" Donald called out. No response. Donald frowned, even more as he saw the throne was empty.

_Eh? That's odd… He should be here around now, _Donald thought. He closed his eyes and expanded his magical senses, an exercise he'd practiced ever since he'd first begun to learn his art.

… _He's not here… I can't even sense him in the castle…?_

Truth be told, the magical interference from the castle and Cornerstone of Light beneath it made locking onto specific signatures a little tricky, but the duck mage had always been able to pick out his king amid the static.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

Donald opened his eyes, startled. The king's yellow dog, Pluto, had crept out from behind the throne, a sealed envelope in his mouth. Donald took it from the dog as Pluto settled back on his haunches. The duck opened the envelope and looked through the letter. His eyes widened.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

The duck mage rushed out, running as fast as he could. His keen eyes scanned frantically everywhere as he ran, until finally he found himself in the garden. The armored, sleeping form of Goofy, the Captain of the Disney Knights, was locked onto.

"Goofy! Get up! We've got problems!"

_Snore,_ was his only response. Donald seethed and pointed his finger into the air.

_CRACKA-BOOM!_

"YEEAAHOOWWW!" Goofy shouted, twitching from the lightening strike. He looked at the mage and chuckled sheepishly.

"Uh, somethin' I can help you with, Donald?"

"Goofy, we have a serious problem! The king…!" Donald lowered his voice. "The king is _missing."_

"What? The king is-_mmph!"_ Donald put a hand over Goofy's snout and made a shushing sound.

"_Quiet!_ We can't let _anyone_ know about this, all right?"

"Uh, what about Queen Minnie? And Daisy?" Goofy asked quietly, after Donald let him go. The duck magician shook his head violently.

"No, we can't let even _them_ know about this!"

"Know about what?"

Donald gulped, and turned around. Queen Minnie stood there, arms crossed across her chest as she eyed Donald with a deceptively friendly smile. Daisy, Minnie's lady in waiting, gave her boyfriend the evil eye. The duck laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head, as Goofy cleared his throat.

"Uh, well, ahhh…" Donald began nervously, as Daisy tapped her foot impatiently.

Goofy, fortunately, was there with him. He'd help cover for him, right?

"Uh, nothin', your majesty. Definitely nothin' about the king bein' missin', if that's what you're thinkin'," the knight dutifully reported, saluting.

Donald groaned and slapped his forehead. _Brilliant, just brilliant…_

"He's_ WHAT?!"_ Minnie shouted, scowling. "JIRAIYAAAAA!"

- - - - - - - - - -

On a distant world, said toad sannin sneezed. He rubbed his nose and resumed his research of the local hotspring.

On the same world, in the same village, within the tower at the center of Training Area 44, the genin had been assembled in the main arena chamber, before a slightly raised stone platform. On this, between a few ANBU stood the Sandaime, hands behind his back. He was making a speech about the purpose and importance of the Chuunin exams, but Naruto was unable to pay much attention.

"… And so, in place of war, the Chuunin Exams serve to…"

_Blah blah blah, yadda yadda yadda, c'mon Old Man_! Naruto mentally grumbled. He looked around at the other assembled genin in the huge chamber. Behind the stage the Hokage was standing on, a large stone statue of two hands in the ram seal loomed. Above were catwalks on either side overlooking the entire tiled floor.

"… The strength of our villages is reflected in the strength of our youth…"

_Gahhh… So… Bored…_ Naruto thought, eyes and attention still wandering. He looked up at the catwalks again and spotted Kakashi, who gave him an apologetic look. The jounin had been unable to find a way to fix Naruto's seal, but had been assured by the Hokage that an expert would soon be available to take care of it. So far though, Naruto hadn't really felt all that different, but considering what that freak had done to Sasuke…

_Speaking of which_, Naruto thought, turning his eyes to the Uchiha. He was looking a little less pale than usual, which was good. But he still carried his broken sword on his back, and had definitely been more surly lately.

Then again, Sakura had been hovering over him twenty-four seven, so he supposed the bastard would be in a bad mood.

_Great, bastard has the entire village kissing his ass and he doesn't give a damn. What the hell? _

"… So, remember you are fighting for the honor of your villages!"

A sickly-looking jounin walked out in front of the gathered genin. He coughed.

"Okay, I'm Hayate Gekko. I'll be the test proctor. Now, as we've got too many genin who passed this year, we'll need to hold some preliminary matches before the real third test. If anyone wants to quit, you may do so now."

Near the back of the group, Kabuto made to raise his hand. But a flash of familiar killing intent made him freeze. He traced it to the only Sound village jounin in the place, smirking at him. The jounin narrowed his eyes meaningfully, and Kabuto, though confused, complied.

"Okay, as it stands, one student will fight an extra match," Hayate coughed. "The digital display board up there will select two genin at random. The rules are simple: Matches will go on until one is unable to continue, or die. I'll end the match if I feel it's over, and I will tolerate no argument."

Sakura grimaced and pulled her leather gloves out of her pouch, pulling them on. She cast a nervous look over at Sasuke, who ignored her. His attention was entirely on the display board.

"S-Sasuke-kun, um, are you sure you're-?"

"Shut up, I'm fine," the Uchiha snarled quietly. "You've been doing nothing but annoying me ever since we got here."

Naruto glared.

"Hey, bastard! She's just worried about you! Don't be such an asshole!"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, face stone cold. Naruto returned it, baring his teeth. Sakura looked nervously between the two… Until Sasuke unexpectedly smirked.

"I want to fight you most of all, Naruto."

Naruto gawked, and raised an eyebrow.

"Eh?"

He searched Sasuke's face for hints of sarcasm… But there was none. Something seemed to tell Naruto, on a level he could barely perceive, that Sasuke wanted to fight him, not just to prove who was stronger but for something… More. Something that didn't involve his revenge.

The blond ninja smiled back, feeling happier and calmer around the Uchiha than he had since… Well, ever.

"Yeah… I want to fight you too," Naruto returned earnestly. Sasuke nodded, his smirk becoming a little softer. Sakura blinked between the two, biting her lower lip, but looking slightly less tense.

Anko walked nearer to the Hokage, eyes narrowed.

"Hokage-sama, are you sure you won't reconsider Sasuke-?"

"I'm sure," Sandaime said, quietly but as firm as steel. Anko nodded and backed off, as the Hokage and his escort went to his viewing box high above the observation decks.

"Allright everyone, up on the catwalks, you can watch from there," Hayate called out, drawing Team Seven's attention once more. They followed the other students, assembling near Kakashi who was leaning against the wall, Icha Icha Paradise in one hand as usual. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"You know Kakashi-sensei, if someone didn't know better they'd say you were addicted to that stuff," the blond said in distaste. Kakashi just eye-smiled.

"You just don't yet appreciate great literature," the jounin said with a cool air. Gai shook his head and struck a dramatic pose next to his eternal rival.

"Oh Kakashi! How is it that your students burn with such youth, and yet their instructor has fallen into the darkness of depravity!" He sniffled, tears threatening to bubble out of his eyes.

"Hm? You say something, Gai?" Kakashi asked. Gai's tears abruptly vanished as he struck an angry pose, cursing Kakashi's 'cool and modern' attitude. Naruto raised an eyebrow at Tenten who was leaning on the railing lining the catwalk. She glanced at Gai and shrugged in exasperation, smiling at him. He smiled back and leaned forward against the railing as well, looking out to the catwalk on the other side of the arena.

A flash of killing intent brushed over his senses, and he locked onto the source. Gaara was staring at him, green eyes narrowed. Naruto glared back.

"Hey, Kabuto? You had an info card on that Gaara kid, right?" Sakura asked, standing next to the older genin farther down the catwalk. Kabuto nodded, drawing the requested card and handing it to her, his eyes locked on the Sound Jounin standing against a wall in the arena.

_Why does Orochimaru-sama want me to fight? Surely it'd be better for me to keep my abilities hidden…_

Sakura looked over the card, frowning at the records.

"Never a scratch on him," she muttered. "How is that possible?"

"I'll tell you how," Kiba spoke up, causing Sakura to turn and look at him. "He can form sand into a shield around himself, instantly. Nothing can hurt him." The Inuzuka looked nervous, and Akamaru on his head whimpered. Sakura blinked.

"Huh? How do you know?"

"We saw him, while we were heading for the tower," Shino spoke next, emotionlessly as always, but with a hint of strain that even Sakura could detect. Frowning, she looked at Hinata, who looked shaken at whatever memories that statement brought up.

"Saw him…?"

"Slaughtered a whole Rain team without breaking a sweat," Kiba explained, grimacing. "Even when they surrendered he just… Crushed them, like they were bugs! Er, no offense Shino."

"None taken," the Aburame returned politely. Sakura looked over at Gaara, and shuddered as he glanced her way. The look in his eyes seemed to clutch at her heart in mind-numbing fear.

"Listen, Sakura, I really suggest that if you get this guy, you just forfeit. He's way too much for anyone, _trust me_," Kiba emphasized. Sakura bit her lower lip and said nothing, as Kabuto merely continued his staring match with the disguised Orochimaru.

Somewhat near the Sand Team, the Sound genin were assembled, all three glaring at the Konoha ninja across. Zaku gripped his artificial hand menacingly as he glared at Sasuke, to which the Uchiha glared back, hand resting on the hilt of his broken sword.

"Allright, first fighters are coming up now," Hayate called, getting nearly everyone's attention. The display board flashed through several names, before settling on the first pair.

_Uchiha Sasuke versus Abumi Zaku._

"Looks like this is my lucky day," Zaku grinned, clenching his metallic hand in glee. He leapt down to the stone floor below, slamming his fist into the ground hard enough to spiderweb a tile, a low boom echoing throughout the chamber.

_No… Why did Sasuke-kun have to be first?_ Sakura thought with a frown.

Sasuke moved to leap down, but Kakashi put a hand on his shoulder. The Uchiha looked at his sensei questioningly.

"Remember… If you do not keep control of the seal, I will withdraw you from the match. Understand?" Kakashi asked. Grimly Sasuke nodded, tolerating a small, encouraging squeeze of his shoulder by his sensei before he leapt down. Both Sound and Leaf ninja walked towards eachother, stopping roughly three meters from eachother with Hayate in the middle. The proctor coughed, before nodding.

"Ready…? Begin," he said, and backed away. For a moment the two genin stared at eachother. Zaku grinned.

"Still carrying around that broken sword of yours I see."

"I wouldn't be talking right now," Sasuke retorted, Sharingan eyes drifting to his artificial hand. Zaku snarled, and lifted it up, palm outstretched.

"DIE!" A powerful airblast issued from the metal hand, Sasuke dodging to the left. Zaku cursed and slammed his hand down, generating a sonic wave through the stone that shook the floor violently. Sasuke leapt and used chakra to stick to a wall, and leaped out of the way once again as Zaku fired another air blast, putting a decent-sized crater where he'd stuck seconds before.

"Too slow!" Sasuke taunted, bouncing off another wall and flying for Zaku, kunai in his hand. The Sound ninja blocked the strike with his metal hand and tried to fire off an air blast at point-blank range, which Sasuke made go wild by punching Zaku and kicking off him. The spectators on the right catwalk (and the Hokage) raised their arms to shield their eyes from the air burst.

"Gah! C'mon Sasuke, beat this guy already!" Naruto growled.

Both Sakura and Ino seemed to consider cheering Sasuke on, but seemed to think better of it.

Sasuke landed, skidding as not all of Zaku's last attack had gone in the wrong direction. The Uchiha grimaced as he felt a twitch on the back of his neck, but ignored it. He ran forward, performing a one-handed cartwheel to avoid Zaku's next blast.

"Give it up, pretty boy! I can do this all day! How long can you keep up?" Zaku taunted, focusing another air blast at Sasuke, which he dodged again.

"How long until you actually hit me?" Sasuke retorted with a smirk. Zaku snarled and fired an airblast with both hands, wide-angle. There was no chance the Uchiha could escape now, and Zaku grinned as he saw the Uchiha be slammed against the wall…

… And turn into a log. Zaku snarled and spun around, expecting an attack from behind… Only to feel a kick in the back of his head.

"That was an old trick," Sasuke smirked, crouching and punting Zaku into the air. He leapt after, getting above. "This is too… But from here on out, it's all original!"

Sasuke kicked Zaku to the side, twirling in mid-air above him to deliver another to his other side, before using the momentum of that last hit to spin himself into an axe kick.

"SHISHI RENDAN!" The Uchiha shouted, sending the Sound Nin crashing to the stone floor below. Zaku snarled and rolled onto his side, trying to get his metal hand up and ready to fire before his opponent could land.

But Sasuke saw this through the Sharingan and spun, getting down to the ground next to Zaku before the blast connected. Zaku screamed as Sasuke slammed his kunai into his metal hand, the energy build up of his next blast already taking place.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU'LL KILL US BOTH!" Zaku screamed, but it was too late. The hand glowed bright blue, and Sasuke barely had enough time to use another replacement jutsu before it exploded, casting a massive amount of dust into the air. Sasuke reappeared outside the blast zone, grimacing as he held his side. He looked down at his hand and blinked.

_Since when do I wear gloves…?_

To the spectators, Uchiha Sasuke's blue and white outfit had seemed to turn dark black, the outline of a cloak flowing behind him, a dark wing protruding from his back… And then he was back to normal, gawking at his hand.

The smoke cleared, and he turned at the sound of a groan. He glared coldly at the downed Sound genin, staring in horrified agony at his mangled arm. Everything below his elbow had been blown apart, leaving everything else an ugly, blackened ruin. He tried to get up, but collapsed, eyes rolling into the back of his head.

Hayate came near, bent down, and checked Zaku. He then rose and turned to Sasuke.

"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke," he spoke.

Sasuke rose and turned, looking up at the catwalk. He spotted Rock Lee, who was staring at him in shock. Sasuke bowed in appreciation, before going back up the steps to the upper level.

_Amazing! He only saw me do it _once_, and he was able to copy it perfectly! So _that_ is your special ability. You really are something, Sasuke. You just keep getting stronger all the time. You make me...almost...a little nervous,_ Lee thought, gaze firmly locked onto the Uchiha as he ascended the stairs.

Kakashi was standing at the top, lone eye narrowed.

"C'mon, we're getting you checked out, now," Kakashi stated. Sasuke narrowed his eyes back at his sensei.

"What? The seal didn't-!"

"No, but something happened, and I'm not taking any chances," the jounin said harshly. With a scowl Sasuke nodded, turning to look at Naruto and Sakura further down on the catwalk. Naruto just stared at him pensively, while Sakura smiled, though even Sasuke could tell it was strained. He nodded to them both with an apathetic face as Kakashi led him into a passage connected to the catwalk.

Hayate cleared his throat, and got everyone's attention again.

"Right… Next match, on the screen now. Shino Aburame and Tsurugi Misumi."

The trench-coat and sunglasses wearing genin calmly descended the stone stairs to the arena floor, while the third member of Kabuto's cell simply leaped down. The two stared at eachother for a time, before Misumi laughed.

"This is it? _This _is my opponent? A pitiful, first year _bug_ user? This won't last _five minutes,"_ he grinned behind his mask. Shino made no response, only nodding to the proctor as he approached.

"Huh? Bug user?" Naruto asked, scratching his head. "What does that mean?"

"Ha! Don't you know anything, Deadlast?" Jeered Kiba. Naruto glared at him, and the Inuzuka merely smirked and shook his head.

"You'll see, dumbass, you'll see," Kiba finished, as Akamaru barked in agreement. Hinata poked her fingers together, looking at Naruto apologetically, to which he smiled before turning back to the arena.

Hayate looked at the two fighters, nodded, and said "Begin!" He then backed away.

Misumi wasted no time, leaping right at Shino and wrapping himself around him. His limbs stretched in bizarre and disturbing ways, until he resembled a boa constrictor around a tiny mouse.

"Shino-kun!" Hinata cried out. Shino did not even look fazed, as Misumi chuckled, head stretched next to his opponent's ear.

"So, Aburame, ready to call it quits? Or shall I squeeze the life out of you?"

Shino raised his eyebrows.

"It is entirely possible you could have defeated me right at the start," Shino began in his usual, calm monotone. "However, this match is mine."

Misumi laughed mockingly.

"Oh? How do you figure, hm?"

Shino did not answer… He merely began to disintegrate. Misumi's eyes widened in surprise as his hostage became a mass of black insects, which soon covered him, biting and stinging.

"AAUUUGHHHH! AUUUGHHHH! OH GOD, GET THEM OFF ME! GET THEM OFF MEEEE!"

The real Shino calmly walked out of the shadow of the catwalk, watching his _Kikai_ insects continue to swarm over Misumi.

"I created a _Kikai Bunshin_ and hid it in the shadows as I walked down the stairs," Shino explained, as though discussing the weather. "I know of your clan's bloodline, Tsurugi. Using chakra to separate your joints and manipulate your bodies for maximum flexibility. I correctly deduced that your first move would be to try and capture me."

"What-ARGGGHHH!-are they doing to meEEEE?!" Misumi screamed.

"Draining your chakra, and injecting you with their venom, which will soon paralyze you," Shino stated calmly. Misumi's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell in an unconscious heap on the floor. The _kikai_ swarm took off and flew back to Shino, diving into his jacket.

Hayate coughed. "Winner; Aburame Shino."

Lee gawked in disbelief.

"Woah, wait! How did he do that?" He turned to Neji. "Find out!"

"Byakugan!" Neji muttered, veins bulging around his grey eyes as his bloodline activated. He grimaced.

"I thought he was using a summoning jutsu for all those insects… but they actually live inside him!" The Hyuuga narrowed his amazing eyes.

_He's filled with insects…So this is the work of the Aburame clan? Gruesome… yet effective,_ he thought, hand unconsciously twitching to go up and feel his caged bird seal.

"Living _inside_ him?" Lee asked, jaw dropped.

Naruto gazed in awe as Shino approached.

"Nice job, Shino," Kiba complimented with a grin.

"C-Congratulations, Shino-kun," Hinata stuttered only a little. Kurenai smiled at him.

"Excellent work," imparted the genjutsu mistress.

The Aburame merely nodded politely.

"Wow… That was so _cool_!" Naruto enthused. "I mean, sure, no explosions but still…" Sakura made a face nearby.

"Ugh… He gives me the creeps… All those _bugs…"_

"Sabaku no Kankuro, and Akimichi Chouji, please come down!" Hayate called, coughing a little after that.

"Aw nuts!" Chouji groaned. Kankuro grinned predatorily and leapt to the arena floor. Ino smirked.

"Hey, relax Chouji! You took out one of those demons in the forest."

Naruto grinned and gave his friend a thumbs up.

"Yeah! That pajama wearing freak doesn't have a prayer against you! Squish him flat!"

Chouji frowned.

"You _implying_ anything by that, Naruto?" The Akimichi asked, narrowing his eyes. The blond ninja gulped and smiled nervously.

"Er, nothing! Nothing!"

"Yeah, he's not calling you fat. That's _my_ job," Ino smirked. Chouji growled.

"Grrr… Damnit, I'm not FAT! I'm BIG BONED!" With that, the heavy set shinobi leapt to the floor, landing in a crouch. Kankuro smirked.

"You wanna take me on tubby?" The Sand ninja taunted. "Go home and eat some cake, fatass. This is a place for ninjas."

Ino, Shikamaru, Asuma, and Naruto all winced. They knew just how furious Chouji got when someone made fun of his weight. Now, Ino did it and meant it only in fun (and a twisted sort of affection), but when someone meant it in a clearly hostile way…

"TUBBY?! That's it, you're going _down ASSHOLE! __NIKUDEN SENSHA!"_ Chouji expanded into his massive, boulder-like form and accelerated for Kankuro, who just stood there and continued to smirk.

_What the... Why is that guy just standing there?_ Ino wondered. Naruto frowned, the Keyblade seeming to wish to leap into his grasp.

"Huh? What's he doing?"

"Something wrong about this," Shikamaru murmured, eyes narrowed. Tenten and Sakura nearby stared as Chouji reached maximum speed and collided with Kankuro.

The Leaf ninja came to a dead stop.

"The _hell?"_ Naruto gasped. Every Konoha ninja (including most of the jounin) gawked in disbelief as Kankuro held Chouji back with two hands, but no other obvious effort. Kankuro grinned and pulled back one of his fists, before ramming it deep into Chouji's mass.

"AUGH!" Chouji bellowed as an electrical current flowed through his body. Kankuro's grin widened.

"You're screwed, tubby." His eye seemed to fracture, before exploding outwards, revealing a mechanical eye.

"HOLY SHIT! HE'S A CYBORG!" Naruto shouted, summoning the Keyblade. Ino's own eyes widened, but for a slightly different reason.

_More aliens?! _

"I don't think so," Kakashi noted, as the rest of 'Kankuro's' skin and clothing came apart, revealing a brown-skinned, mechanical monstrosity that vaguely resembled a multi-armed human. A whir of motors and two more arms pulled back, before plunging into Chouji's hide again.

"SON OF A-!" Chouji's curse was cut short as his jutsu was dispelled, leaving him lying on his back on the arena floor, looking dizzy. The bundle on the thing's back unwrapped itself, becoming the real Kankuro. He smirked, holding up his hands.

"Idiot…"

"What the hell is that thing, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto demanded. Kakashi looked thoughtful.

"It's a ninja puppet."

"_Puppet?"_

Kakashi rolled his eyes.

"It's like a robot that fights for him. He controls it with chakra strings, manipulating them to make the puppet move. Looks like this puppet is equipped with a taser weapon, as well as motors to enhance its strength and-"

"That _venom_ should be paralyzing you nicely right about now," Kankuro went on with a smirk. Kakashi shrugged at Naruto's raised eyebrow.

"Surrender, and I'll give you the anti-venom," Kankuro offered, holding up a bottle. "But make it quick-Karasu's poison progresses quickly."

Chouji snarled, but nodded weakly. Hayate sighed.

"Winner, Kankuro!" The jounin called, as the medic ninjas quickly got to the poisoned genin, stretcher in hand. Naruto frowned as he saw Kankuro smirk and walk off, puppet in his hand, as he tossed the antidote carelessly to one of the medics. The ninja caught it, shooting a glare at the puppeteer's back.

"So that's what that thing was… Hey, Kakashi-sensei! Isn't that against the rules? Two on one, I mean," he asked. Kakashi frowned, a bit more concerned with the fact Naruto sensed his return than the question. But, in order to deflect the odd looks being sent his way, he decided to handle the question.

"Says the boy who can make an army of himself," Sakura snorted. Kakashi eye-smiled. _Good girl, Sakura._

"What? That's a ninja technique! That there was… Was… Oh nevermind," the blond huffed, dejected. Shikamaru frowned, arms across his chest, as Ino watched her sensei consult with the med nins, biting her lower lip.

"Well?" Kakashi asked Asuma as he returned to the observation deck. The son of the Third Hokage sighed and lit up a new cigarette.

"The antidote was delivered in time. Much longer and Chouji's lungs would have stopped working." Asuma looked over at the Sand ninja across the arena, frowning thoughtfully. A tall Sand jounin with his head wrapped in gauze and the right half of his face covered in white cloth, stared back impassively.

"He'd just better not run into me in the next round," Naruto snarled. Shikamaru was silent, but nodded his assent. Ino tightened her grip on her staff, and felt her chakra shape itself to cast lightening within it as she caught Kankuro's smirk. The puppeteer winked and blew a mocking kiss.

"Trust me, Whiskers, I face him and there won't be enough pieces left of him to fill a _paper bag,"_ Ino hissed, sparks seemingly shooting from her eyes. Naruto and Shikamaru stared at her, and felt the killing intent of her barely-restrained wrath. Sakura scooted a few steps away from her former best friend and current rival.

"Damn am I glad she's not mad at me," Naruto muttered. Shikamaru nodded, just a little faster than he would normally.

His attention went back to the display board, Naruto frowned.

"C'mon, when's it going to be my turn!"

"Do not worry, Naruto!" Lee boomed. "Our time will come! Let us hope it is towards the end, though! Thus, we will be the closing act!"

Naruto grinned.

"That'd be awesome Lee! But, I'm still hoping to go next…"

Naruto trailed off as the next match was announced. He looked uneasily to either side of himself.

"Yamanaka Ino, and Haruno Sakura, please come down for your match!" Hayate announced.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Behold my evil cliffhanger powers! Mwahahahaha!_

_I've been mixing up the matches a bit to keep things interesting, but still rather canon. You'll see why I had Kabuto stay in later._

_Not much to say on this chapter, expect that it was very time consuming to write and rewrite the dialogue and action scenes. _

_I kept Shino's fight short and to the point because, c'mon, it's _Shino._ He kicks ass._

_Overall, there will be eleven matches in this arc, which I'll split between three chapters at most. I will skip a few matches if I feel they don't add to the story. Still a bit undecided about some of the matches, and considering some rather unconventional ones, but you'll have to wait and see what they are._

_If you have questions, feel free to check out my forums for this story, or my author's notes at the end of previous chapters._

_As always, please review! Hits and faves are nice, but I can't truly progress as a writer unless I know what the reader thinks._

_Now, it's omake time!_

By Andrew J. Talon (Me, in other words):

Hayate came near, bent down, and checked Zaku. He then rose and turned to Sasuke.

"Winner, Uchiha Sasuke," he spoke.

"About time, Duck Butt Head!" Naruto shouted.

"Shut up Naruto!" Sakura growled.

"What? His hair looks like the back end of a duck! Don't tell me you've never noticed it before!" Naruto defended himself. Ino shot him a glare.

"Doesn't mean you can go and insult him like that, idiot!"

"Look whose talking!" Naruto laughed back with a wicked grin.

"Then again, he does have a point," Tenten added thoughtfully, giggling a little. Ino's face turned red, as did Sakura's. Naruto just began laughing, soon joined by Tenten and a few other genin, though they all tried to conceal it.

Sasuke glowered at the laughter.

"Screw you all!"

By Yamimaru:

Omake 2

(Note: This one is based off of a funny comic I saw on deviantart a while back.

And an omake from shadowmaster62's "Unseen.")

Itachi stared at Sasuke's outfit for a moment, and then grabbed his brother's throat and held him up to eye-level.

"Otouto, what the hell happened to all of that stuff I taught you about looking cool?"

Naruto, decided that now would be a good to throw in his two ryou.

"He went emo!"

Itachi shuddered and then looked back at Sasuke and pulled out a kunai.

"Stupid otouto, I feel it is my duty to put you out of both our miseries, as I can't stand

the idea of anyone related to me listening to the likes of My Chemical Romance or Savage

Garden."

"And like you listen to better music?"

"As a matter of fact, yes I do." With that Itachi dropped Sasuke and pulled off his cloak to reveal...

...A WHITE DISCO SUIT?!?!?

A mirror-ball dropped out of nowhere as "Stayin' Alive" started playing in the background.

Itachi, who now lacked his hitai-ate, was wearing platform shoes, and had an afro for some

reason started dancing as Naruto and Sasuke stared horrified and Kisame face-palmed.

"Not again."

By Reform Joms:

Naruto doesn't know why he had to bring them to this place.

Naruto obviously thought to himself that he was probably drunk when he brought Team Gai to this place.

And as it was, 'Konoha's Green Beast' had just decided to go commando, and was swinging

the vines with Tarzan. And they had also gone and went to have a banana eating contest. As it stands, the score was Tarzan: 60, and Lee: 65. Banana peels littered the jungle floor.

...Many animals slipped that day. And it was from then on, was to be remembered as a day

of slippery infamy.

Tenten had snatched Clayton's gun, very interested in it as she broke it in half. In fact,

she had gone deaf crazy as she ransacked the whole camp, looking for more weapons, or

anything that looks like a weapon. As it stands, she found 14 kitchen knives, 6

'ball-looking thingies', 24 rifles and guns, 3 packs of 'things that go boom', 40

'pokey-stabby-slicy-sawwy' things, and 64 of everything else.

Neji was running away from (insert Jane's father's name) for all his worth as the man had

taken an interest on how somehow who has no pupils, and by the professor's definition,

someone who is blind, can still see. The professor had made an impromptu lab out of

nowhere, and was trying to catch the Hyuuga for disecting purposes and study and research.

As it stands, they've been at it for 1:25:09, hours:minutes:seconds.

Gai was wrestling the hippos and the elephants. The gorillas were somehow dragged into

it. As it stands, Gai had knocked out two more, bringing the 'score' to 6 elephants, 3

hippos, and 15 gorillas... right before the gorillas went bananas on his and pile

drived him like they were playing football. The last thing Gai saw before he was knocked

out, was a cloud of snalring gorillas.

And Naruto and Jane both sat down on a picnic mat and started to sip tea, while they each

shared stories of their "crazy, eventful, and 'people who need to go to a happy hotel'"

worlds.

Around them, (by that, nowhere near the crazy people) the monkey heartless had somehow setup a bar/lounge, calling it, "The Monkey Heartless Bar/Lounge." Some said Heartless were playing jazz music from instruments out of materials from the camp. (If you don't get the joke, try watching Disney's Tarzan, and watch the part where the animals break into the

camp and suddenly burst into song using stuff from the camp as instruments)

One monkey Heartless approached the tea-sipping two, holding a kettle.

"Ook ook ooh oo?" It asked.

Naruto and Jane nodded. Naruto said, "Yes, more tea please."

The Heartless did so, and went back to the bar.

Naruto sighed. He just hoped that Sakura, Sasuke, Kakashi and the team they were sent with were fairing better in their mission.

-Somewhere else-

Sakura, Kakashi, and the rest of the team all slowly backed away from Sasuke. They don't

know what the fiends did to Sasuke, but the result was this...

As it stands, Uchiha Sasuke was frolicking in the flowers. Around him, Care Bears all

laughed and giggled and was merry-ing their butts off.

"Hey Sasuke?" one Care Bear called.

"Yes, Share Bear?" Sasuke answered gayly.

"Do you have something to share?"

"Yes I do, Share Bear." Sasuke answered, giggling, "I'm not wearing any underwear!"

The other Care Bears just giggled.

Sakura, Kakashi, and Team Eight didn't know whether they should laugh at that, feel

mentally scarred by the image, kill the annoying little things, commit suicide, gouge

their eyes and ears out, or do all of the above.

They all thought the same thing, 'God, this is more creepy and disturbing as the time we

went to that one place with all the Rainbow Monkeys...'

-End Omake.


	18. Chuunin Exam Prelims, Part 2

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"_Donald, _

_Sorry to rush off without sayin' goodbye, but there's big trouble brewin'. More and more stars have been blinkin' out, one by one. And that means disaster can't be far behind. I hate to leave you all but I've gotta go check into it. There's someone with a "key"-- the key to our survival, like mine. So I need you and Goofy to find him, and stick with him. Got it? We need that key or we're doomed! So go to Traverse Town and find Leon. He'll point you in the right direction. _

_P.S._

_  
Would ya apologize to Minnie for me? Thanks pal_," Minnie finished reading, a frown on her face. She sighed and shook her head, turning and pacing a few steps to face one of the vast bookshelves in the castle library.

Behind her, Donald and Goofy stood at attention, a few animated brooms sweeping and cleaning behind them.

"Ohhh… I knew he was going to leave," Minnie sighed. "He was always stubborn, insistent on going his own way… And with the stars winking out and all this unusual activity…"

Goofy frowned.

"Your Majesty, don' worry. We'll find 'im, and bring 'im back, I promise!"

"Yeah! I'm sure if we find this 'key', whoever it is, we'll find the King!" Donald added.

Minnie sighed again, turning back.

"I know you will… But you have to remember that, well… Finding Mickey is not your primary mission."

Daisy frowned, hands held in front of her.

"Your Majesty? What do you mean?" The female duck asked. Minnie smiled, a bit sadly.

"I mean that, while you two may find the King on your journeys, your first priority is to find this key as he wants."

"But, your Majesty-!" Began Donald in protest, but was silence by a look from Daisy. The duck gulped and smiled nervously.

"Ehhh… I mean…"

"He means," Goofy cut in, "that we'll do both! Find the King, and this key he was talkin' about!" The knight smiled reassuringly, and Donald nodded, standing a bit straighter.

Minnie smiled and nodded as well.

"Excellent! But, before you set out, I'm going to send someone with you," the mouse queen said. She turned to her desk. "Jiminy?"

A small, grey-green cricket, with shiny spats, elegant top-hat, and neat suit appeared, hopping out from the various documents and books on the desk. He stood at attention.

"Yes Queen Minnie?"

"I'd like you to accompany Donald and Goofy, and act as their chronicler," Minnie explained. "Record their adventures and keep them on track."

The cricket smiled and bowed, one hand taking his top hat off his head.

"It'll be an honor, your Majesty!" Jiminy put his hat back on and leapt off the desk, hopping up to Donald and landing on his shoulder. The duck mage smiled a bit, before turning back to the queen.

"Don't worry about a thing, Your Majesty! We'll be back before you know it!"

"Now Donald," Daisy spoke, "you will be careful out there, right?"

The duck grinned back at his girlfriend.

"When am I not?"

A stern look on Daisy's face made Donald chuckle nervously.

"Um, I mean, of course I'll be careful!"

"Then it's settled," Minnie said, satisfied. "You leave immediately."

"Uh, Queen Minnie?" Goofy asked. Minnie turned to the captain of their knights and smiled.

"Yes Goofy?"

"Um, hate to ask a favor and all, but could you keep an eye on Maxie for me?" Goofy inquired, looking more serious than he usually did. "He's just started his trainin' and all, and well…"

"Don't worry, Goofy," Minnie reassured him. "He'll be just fine!"

Goofy nodded at this and smiled, before standing at attention and saluting.

"Thanks, Your Majesty!"

"Now then, shall we go to the hanger now?" Minnie asked. "Everyone ready?"

Nods all around, the troupe headed out of the library and towards the Gummi ship hanger.

Now, this was only the castle's hanger. The Disney fleet had several more for even larger ships that made up the world's exploration and defensive forces. But, what it lacked in size, it made up for in the quality of its engineering crew.

"Darn it Dale, that compression block is NOT supposed to go there!" Shouted a high pitched voice. A slightly scratchier voice answered him.

"Yeah? Well what's with that weapons loadout?! You trying to make it a sitting duck for every Heartless ship out there?"

"Hey!" Daisy and Donald shouted, eyes narrowed. The control tower near the top of the hanger had two chipmunks poke their heads out.

"Er, sorry 'bout that!" The chipmunk with a small black nose called out. He glared at his companion. "A certain _someone_ wanted to be _more_ of an idiot than he usually is!"

The chipmunk with a red nose and pronounced buck teeth scowled back.

"Well, if a _certain_ chipmunk who has a _really_ _stupid name_ to match his _stupid_ brain weren't such a _jerk_-!"

"Guys, guys!" Shouted a third voice, this time female. It belonged to a pale-furred mouse in blue coveralls with long blonde hair held out of her eyes by goggles. She scowled at the two chipmunks, who looked at their feet.

"Sorry Gadget," they said in unison. The mouse sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Besides, the compression block actually goes there," Gadget pointed out on a computer screen in the control room. "And the weapons load out doesn't matter with this power output. Oops, my mistake, the power output is too high. Maybe if I adjusted the particle flow…"

"Hey!" Donald shouted irritably. Gadget and the chipmunks looked back.

"Oh, sorry about that, did you need something?" Gadget asked cheerfully. Donald turned and raised a feathery eyebrow at the queen, who smiled good-naturedly.

"Just a ship. _Kingdom_-class, long-range reconnaissance loadout," the queen ordered.

"Long duration mission huh?" Asked Dale, as Chip worked with Gadget at the control console. On the screen before the two rodent engineers a red and yellow spaceship took shape.

"We don't know how long it might last," Minnie said honestly. Donald and Goofy exchanged looks. Chip and Dale looked at eachother and frowned.

"Meaning you'll need two engineers for this," Chip surmised. "Hmmm…"

Dale grinned and raised a hand excitedly.

"I'll go! Me! I'm great for long-term missions!"

"Don't you have a date with Foxglove this Friday?" Chip asked, exasperated at his friend's lack of organization. Dale slapped his forehead and groaned.

"Oh yeah… Oops," the red-nosed chipmunk chuckled. "Well, guess it'll be you and Gadget for this one then! Try to stay focused on the job, huh?" Dale grinned with a wink, making both mouse and chipmunk blush.

"HEY! ENOUGH ALREADY!" Donald shouted.

"Considering how _you_ could get when we were first dating Donald, I don't think you should be talking," Daisy pointed out with a smirk. The mage duck flushed a bit under his feathers, finally folding his arms over his chest and scowling.

Finally, the Gummi ship was assembled to specifications, and was soon brought out, carried by huge robotic arms with white gloves covering their mechanical hands. Donald and Goofy jumped into the open cockpit, soon followed by Pluto.

"Your Majesty? Are you sure we should bring him along?" Donald asked, grimacing a bit as the yellow dog happily licked his cheek. Goofy grinned a bit as Minnie and Daisy laughed.

"Of course! He'll lead you to the King all the more quickly!" The queen declared.

"If he doesn't _lick_ me to death first," Donald grumbled. Below, Gadget and Chip had entered the relatively small engine room of the Gummi ship, quickly and efficiently running through the preflight checklist.

"Power block, stable," Chip called out, strapping himself in.

"Shields online, Interspace drive powering up," Gadget added from the seat next to his.

Goofy closed the cockpit canopy, as he and Donald sat in their own seats and strapped in. Donald turned on the navigation console and grabbed the joysticks of the vessel, checking over the readings he was being fed from the ships' computers.

Minnie and Daisy waved goodbye, as did Dale from the control room above, which the crew of the Gummi ship returned, as a pair of robotic arms picked the ship up and moved it to the runway.

"_Bay doors open!"_ Dale shouted through the communications system, making Chip and Gadget wince.

"Dale, turn your volume down!" Chip ordered angrily.

"_Turn what down?"_ Dale asked. Chip rolled his eyes.

"I _said_, turn your _volume_ down!"

Dale scratched his head, translating through the feedback as best he could. He thought they'd want to leave the castle via the runway, but if they wanted to go down…

"_Um, sure Chip! No problem! Good luck!"_

"Good luck!" Called out Minnie and Daisy. Donald gave them a confident smile as he gripped the controls, Goofy saluting and Pluto just howling, as the main engines powered up and the runway lights came on…

Just in time for a large hatch to open underneath the ship, and the robotic arms holding it to let go.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Donald screamed.

"YAAAAAWAAAAHOOOOOIEEEE!" Goofy yelped.

"DALE, YOU IDDDIIIIOTTTTTT!" Chip and Gadget shouted, as the Gummi ship fell. Queen and lady in waiting turned and looked up at Dale, who scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Er, I thought he said he wanted to go down, eh heh…"

"Oh well," Queen Minnie sighed. "They're on their way… For better or worse…"

"We're _so_ doomed," Daisy mumbled.

- - - - - - - - - -

Back in Konoha, within the tower, Haruno Sakura faced off against her current rival, and former best friend, Yamanaka Ino. The two kunoichi stared at eachother, eyes narrowed, tension so thick it felt like the very air was boiling between them.

Naruto bit his lower lip, his grip on the Keyblade tightening.

"This is so troublesome," Shikamaru muttered. "They'd start a war over that asshole."

"That asshole's my friend, though I have to agree with you," Naruto mumbled next to him. Shikamaru frowned.

"Friend? Are you high on something?"

"Look, it's not like we're _best__buds_ or anything, but… We do understand eachother." At Shikamaru's incredulous look Naruto shrugged.

"It's… Complicated."

"Uchiha Sasuke. The most arrogant bastard in this village. And you consider him, your friend?"

"You know, you're really making this more _troublesome_ than it should be," Naruto smirked. Shikamaru rolled his eyes and set his eyes back on the match.

"Just let me know when you're no longer completely insane," the Nara grumbled.

"I'm not complete yet," Naruto snickered.

"Are they going to fight, or just stand there?" Kiba growled. "C'MON! LETS SEE SOME TORN CLOTHES ALREADY!"

"PERVERT!" Screamed both Ino and Sakura. The killing intent from the two females made Kiba cringe… As did the punch to his head from an irritated Kurenai.

"OW! _Sensei_!"

Kurenai hmphed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Your mother would do much worse if she learned about this," the genjutsu mistress warned, making Kiba pale.

"Look Ino, I just want to make sure you know that this is not going to be over Sasuke," Sakura said at last, confident smirk appearing on her face. Ino sighed, shaking her head with a disgusted expression.

"Is that it? Is that your _whole reason_ for all of this?"

Sakura gaped, taken aback.

"W-What? What are you talking about, Ino-Pig?" Sakura's gloved fists tightened. Ino smirked and shook her head.

"You never really grew up, did you Forehead? You were always in that fantasy world, thinking that if you were with Sasuke-kun, then _everything_ would work out. Isn't that what you believed?" Ino couldn't help her nostalgia-She saw that same lost look again in Sakura's eyes, that same self-doubt. It was so familiar.

It hurt to know this time she was responsible for it. But this… Ino knew she had to do it. Ever since she'd heard what happened in the Forest of Death, seen what had happened to Team 7.

_This is for your own good Fore-Sakura…_

"I'm-" Sakura began, but Ino cut her off.

"You are _not_ a _ninja_, Sakura. You are a _little girl_ playing a _very dangerous game_, and if you do not stop it _right now_, you are going to get yourself and the rest of your team _killed_. So you just need to _give up_ and go _home_," Ino said, as calmly as she could manage. She could see Sakura's face blossoming red in anger.

"I am _not_ a little girl!"

"You don't get it! As much as I_hate_ to say it, Sasuke is not _worth it_!" Ino shouted. Sakura snarled, hand going to her pouch. She let loose with three kunai, which Ino deflected with her steel-enforced staff. The blonde snarled.

"Fine, we'll do this the _hard way_!" Ino charged for Sakura, who used a Bunshin jutsu to create several decoys. Ino swung her staff through several of the illusions and then ducked to avoid a punch from the real one, kicking out to knock the pink-haired girl off her feet. Sakura dodged into a forward roll, a kunai out as she sprang back to her feet and spun around to slam the knife into her opponent's side. Ino blocked this as well, twirling her staff around for Sakura's head.

Sakura side-stepped, grabbing the staff to guide the momentum and trip Ino. But she drew her hand back with a cry of pain as she felt an electric shock, which was just long enough for Ino to slam the staff into her gut.

"Oof!"

Sakura fell back, but Ino wasn't done yet. She held her staff up, eyes glowing very slightly.

"_THUNDER!"_

Lightening crackled from Ino's staff, blasting into Sakura and sending her flying. Naruto gaped above.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Ugh," the pink-haired girl groaned, pushing herself to her feet. Ino smirked just a little.

"So… Ready to give up?"

_Give up… Give up…_

"Sakura-chan, don't give up! Don't listen to her! I know you can do it! You can beat her!" Naruto shouted, leaning over the railing. Sakura took a shaky breath, and looked up. She gave Ino a feral smile.

"Not… Even… _Close!"_

Sakura leapt forward with surprising speed, getting inside Ino's guard and slamming a palm into her chest. Ino fell back in shock, but recovered, a kick sent to Sakura's stomach in retaliation. Sakura stepped back, twisting to her left to deliver a fist to Ino's jaw. Ino took the hit, but was smirking as she did. The reason became obvious.

"_Thunder,"_ she murmured, jaw unbroken by her instinctive relaxation against the impact. Her staff issued another blast, sending Sakura off her feet and falling back once more, ending up on her backside. The pink haired-girl was breathing hard, hair falling over her eyes.

"You just _don't get it_, do you Sakura? If I was an enemy, you'd already. Be. _Dead_," Ino snarled. "Give up!"

"Shut up Ino!" Naruto shouted. "C'mon Sakura-chan, you can do it! Get back up! You can do it! Don't give up! You can't give up!" The blond gritted his teeth, his Keyblade gleaming in the light. Ino glared at him, and he glared back. As they did, Naruto felt… Odd. He felt, he saw, as though someone's senses were superimposed over his own.

Sunlight… A ribbon… Two girls…

Fear for someone, almost paralyzing…

"_Give up, give up before I lose you…!"_

Ino blinked, shaking her head. _What was that…? I saw… A fox… A little boy…_

"YAH!"

Ino grimaced, blocking Sakura's combo. Her kicks were stronger, her punches faster, and the light in her eyes…

Ino kneeled under a high-kick and knocked Sakura off her feet again, focusing and swinging her staff around to slam her into the floor. Sakura gasped as Ino held the staff against her throat, pale blue eyes meeting vivid green.

"Give. Up," Ino snarled. "_Give up right now damnit!"_

"SCREW YOU!" Sakura screamed, legs bending up and slamming her knees into Ino's back. Ino grunted as Sakura shoved her staff back, finally chambering one leg and kicking her off the pink-haired girl.

Sakura recovered and leapt back up, charging Ino while making three more bunshins to run interference. Ino attacked the wrong one and the real Sakura leapt up, diving and tackling her blond opponent to the floor. Ino swung her staff, at Sakura, which she avoided by somersaulting forward, back on her feet as soon as her opponent was. A staff swing was blocked by Sakura as she dropped, kicking at Ino's stomach.

The blonde fell back and struck again with a hammer blow from her staff, which Sakura blocked again. But it was intentional-Ino moved forward within Sakura's guard and slammed her fist into her face, sending her stumbling back. Sakura retaliated with a jump-kick, Ino barely bracing her against her staff as it slammed into her chest. The pink-haired kunoichi dropped down and back-handed Ino, an audible smack! Filling the arena. Ino went down, tumbling on her side.

"_FIRE!"_ The blonde girl shouted in anger, unleashing a deadly flame blast at her opponent. Sakura leaped out of the way, throwing three more kunai. As she stood back up, Ino directed more chakra into her staff and spun it, unconsciously emulating Naruto with his Keyblade to deflect the knives. This chakra she reshaped into another thunder spell and let it loose, wide-angle. Sakura was hit again, but managed to stay standing.

_Damnit, at this rate…_The pink-haired girl refused to finish that thought.

_**But who knew Ino-Pig had gotten so strong?**_ Her inner self wondered. Sakura gritted her teeth.

_She's not the only one… I am _not_ weak…I'm _not_ giving up!_

Ino breathed hard, eyes narrowed.

_I could take her out in one shot… But then I'd have to… I'm not doing that. There's got to be… That's it!_

"You're nearly out of chakra, Sakura. Last chance to give up," Ino warned her. Sakura wheezed, but stood firm.

"What… Part of 'screw you'… don't you _understand_? All that… Pretty hair, messing with your _hearing_?" Sakura growled.

Ino scowled, shoving her staff into it's satchel behind her back. She drew a kunai in one hand, and her long, shining brain in the other. Sakura could only gape as Ino slashed her hair off, and threw it to the ground.

"… Wha… What the _hell_ was that?" Sakura demanded. Ino smirked and quickly made several hand seals.

"A _distraction_. _Shintenshin no Jutsu!"_

Sakura's world went dark, a black void stretching as far as she could see in all directions. She was frozen, unable to move, hear, or feel anything. Just an overwhelming chill.

"What… What's going on?"

_**Beats me**_, her inner-self said.

The silence was deafening… Except for a small, distant-sounding voice. It was her own.

"I give up," she said. Sakura's eyes widened.

What the…?

"NO! NO I DON'T! STOP! I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!"

**YOU **_**BITCH**_**, WHAT THE **_**HELL**_** DID YOU DO TO ME?**

"_-ura-chan-!"_

Sakura blinked, looking around.

"Naruto?"

"_Sakura-chan! SAKURA-CHAN!"_

- - - - - - - -

Naruto watched Ino fall to the ground as she completed her jutsu, and Sakura stiffen, as though struck by another lightening bolt.

"What the hell is she doing? Sakura-chan!" Naruto turned to Kakashi. "The hell kind of technique is that?"

"One of the Yamanaka family jutsus," Shikamaru said flatly. Naruto turned to his friend and frowned.

"Huh? What the…?"

"It's a mind manipulation jutsu," Kakashi stated. "It lets the user take over their opponent's body."

"I surrender," Sakura said dully, turning to the proctor. Naruto gaped.

"WHAT?! Sakura-chan! What the hell are you doing?!"

"It's over," 'Sakura' said, turning to Naruto with a glare. She pulled off her headband and dropped it on the hard stone floor. The blond couldn't help it and glared right back.

"SAKURA-CHAN, FIGHT IT! DON'T GIVE UP _DAMNIT_!"

"Will you _stop it?!_" Ino screamed through Sakura. "She's weak, she's useless! She is going to get you and her dumb ass _killed_!"

"No, she won't!" Naruto bellowed back. "She doesn't look like it, she doesn't act like it sometimes, but Sakura-chan's a _lot_ stronger than you think she is! She just needs to prove it!"

"She'll never change! She's still the same _weak little girl_!" Ino shouted.

"NO SHE ISN'T! SHE CAN CHANGE! C'MON SAKURA, SNAP OUT OF IT!"

"Um, is this a surrender or not?" Hayate asked.

"I, Haruno Sakura-" Ino began, but was interrupted.

"DON'T STOP THE MATCH! Damnit Sakura-chan, FIGHT IT! Prove that you're not weak! _That you can change!"_

Hinata couldn't help but watch and listen, and felt her heart skip a beat.

_Naruto-kun… He believes that… That people can change? _

- - - - - - - - -

Within Sakura's mind, she felt something grow, a warmth that spread from her chest, becoming stronger as Naruto's shouts became louder.

"I… I am not weak… I am not weak… I AM NOT WEAK!"

_**HELL YEAH WE'RE NOT!**_ Inner Sakura chimed in. _**C'mon Sakura, let's show this bitch what we can do!**_

_She's going DOWN!_

With a rush every sense returned to her. Vision, hearing, pain…

"I am NOT giving UP!" Sakura roared, as her aura flared into being around her. As though she was being consumed by blue flames it grew, wind gushing out from where she stood.

The Third Hokage stared in disbelief, as did nearly everyone else in the arena.

"Hokage-sama, what kind of power is that?" Asked one of his ANBU. "It's such violent chakra…"

_No, the Hokage thought, not chakra…_

It could pass as chakra, but Sarutobi knew what this was…

_So, the girl has access to Maleficent's type of power?_ Kabuto mused, a small smile on his face. _Interesting… Seems there's more to you than I thought, Sakura-san…_

Ino, her technique dispelled, got to her feet and gaped in disbelief.

"You… You have _another_ you inside you…? And that _power_? What the _hell_ are you?!"

"Che," Sakura sneered, "every girl needs a hard center if they're going to survive in this world!"

_But this power… That, I have no idea where it came from_, She thought. _Inner-Me, what is this? Not that I'm complaining but…_

_**Don't ask me! I just found this deep inside us! Some kind of source. I'd have never found it if Naruto didn't yell at us…**_

_Guess the idiot did something right for once…_

_**Try 'for the most recent time'**_, Inner-Sakura stated. Sakura scowled.

_Fine, fine… Later,_ Sakura dismissed her inner self, holding up a hand and watching the power flare around her.

"In my heart," she began, eyes narrowed at Ino, stooping to pick it up and tie it back around her brow, where it belonged, "and in this headband...I will live on as my own person!"

She flew forward, using her chakra control to focus this power… Whatever it was… Into her fist for a final charge.

"I am NOT Sakura the fangirl! I am Sakura the _KUNOICHI_!"

"THEN PROVE IT!" Ino roared, staff raised as she ran to meet Sakura's charge, lightening crackling from the weapon. They met, Ino's staff crashing onto Sakura's head while Sakura's fist met Ino's face. The forces they wielded came in contact with eachother and reacted into a violent explosion, obscuring the arena floor with a flash of light and cloud of smoke and debris.

"Holy-! Kakashi, what have you been_teaching_ that girl?!" Asuma bellowed.

"Me? I'm not the one with a girl throwing _lightening_ and _fire_ around like they were toys!" Kakashi returned.

When the dust settled, both girls were sprawled, unconscious on the arena floor. Naruto moved to check on them, but Kakashi put a hand out to stop him. He grimaced.

"Kakashi-sensei-!"

"Wait," Kakashi spoke, and Naruto complied, though grudgingly. The medic ninja and Hayate moved out, checking on both ragged-looking girls. The proctor finally rose and, after a cough, spoke to the arena.

"Both fighters are unconscious… A double-knockout. Both fighters are eliminated!"

"Woah! Wasn't expecting _that_ outcome," Naruto commented.

"And no torn clothes… Lamest cat fight ever," Kiba muttered. He cringed at his teacher's flash of killing intent.

Naruto smiled as the medic nins, after checking the two girls over thoroughly, brought Sakura and Ino back to the observation deck. They were set side by side, leaning upright against the wall, and Naruto crouched down, waiting for one to wake up.

Ino cracked her eyes open slightly, and blinked. He blinked back at her.

"Who…?" She began. Naruto shrugged.

"Tie. Double-knockout."

"Technical term's a cross-counter," Kakashi observed dryly as he passed them by, sparing an eye smile to the still-out Sakura.

_You've grown a lot, Sakura… Naruto's not the only one full of surprises…_

"You… Were right…" Ino mumbled, attention back on Naruto. He smiled a bit.

"We both were… Doing things for the right reasons, I think," he said back. Ino blinked again.

"Staff?"

Naruto grimaced.

"You broke it," Naruto sighed. Ino groaned.

"Stupid invincible forehead…"

"It did cause an explosion though," Naruto added with a foxy grin. "That was cool."

Ino rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. Her eyes widened a little as Sakura slumped onto her shoulder, slowly waking up.

"Guh…? What happened?" She mumbled. Unconsciously she pushed her face against Ino's shoulder a bit more. Naruto couldn't help but laugh at how cute it was, and how red the blonde's face turned.

"Hey, Forehead," Ino spoke, but without any of her previous anger. Sakura blinked and looked up at Ino, then at the laughing Naruto. She pushed herself back quickly, eyes wide and cheeks burning in embarrassment.

"What the-? Did I-?"

"_Che_… I can't believe I tied, with you of all people!" Ino said in a stern voice, turning up her nose. She winked at Naruto which made it difficult for him to reign in his laughter, but he tried. Sakura frowned, eyes downcast once more… Before feeling her hand being squeezed comfortingly.

_It's so familiar…_

She looked up to see a gently-smiling Ino.

"I was wrong… You have grown up," her blonde, former best friend said quietly. "You've blossomed into a lovely flower…"

Sakura smiled back, almost shyly. As Ino withdrew her hand, Sakura looked down and blinked

_My… Her old ribbon!_

"I hope… You'll accept it back?" Ino asked, a hint of vulnerability appearing in her usually confident eyes. Sakura smiled, and clutched the pink scrap of fabric tightly.

"I'd… I'd like that…"

Sakura suddenly became aware of Naruto watching them. She snarled.

"NARUTO! Go away! This is for girls only!"

"Oh? I can become a girl you know, will you let me stay then?" Naruto asked with a grin.

_WHACK!_

"_YEOW!"_

"PERVERT!" Shouted both girls as Naruto beat a hasty retreat, though both were smiling as they watched him seek sanctuary with Team Gai at the far end of the catwalk.

"You know, he's not really all that bad," Ino commented. Sakura smirked.

"Oh ho? Giving up on Sasuke for the dead last then?"

Ino looked thoughtful and serious, which just made Sakura stare, then laugh nervously.

"I mean, c'mon, there's no way you could give up on _Sasuke-kun_ for _Naruto_! Right?_Right_? I mean, what could you _see_ in him?"

_**Actually-!**_

_SHUT UP YOU!_

Ino just turned back to Sakura and smiled serenely. Sakura growled.

"What the hell is that smile for?! Ino-Pig, damnit, _say_ something! This isn't funny!"

"Oh yes it is," Ino giggled. "You're so cute when you're worked up, Forehead."

"_SHUT UP INO-PIG!"_

- - - - - - - - -

The girl's argument continued all throughout Shikamaru's match, which he was secretly grateful for. It distracted his opponent, the mummy-like Dosu, long enough for him to get a shadow bind on him and make the Sound ninja slam his head against the wall.

"Well, those two came in handy, for once," Shikamaru muttered, walking back up to the catwalk as the proctor declared him the victor.

"Wow Shikamaru, you took that guy out_fast_!" Naruto complimented. The Nara shrugged.

"Dragging it out would be-"

"Troublesome, I know. Why do you say that all the time anyway?"

"Because it's accurate," Shikamaru replied. "And I wouldn't be talking about catchphrases if I were you."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Naruto asked, confused. Shikamaru just rolled his eyes.

"Nevermind… Look, you're up next."

Naruto turned and eyed the display board. He frowned, and looked over at his opponent.

Kabuto simply smiled benignly back, and dropped to the arena floor. Naruto mentally shrugged and followed, Keyblade already out.

"Allright, my turn finally! This is going to kick ass!"

Kabuto smirked just a little as the proctor came between himself and Naruto. A casual glance out of the corner of his eyes confirmed that Orochimaru (disguised as an Otogakure jounin) was watching intently. All the better…

"Ready, begin!" Hayate spoke, stepping clear. Naruto assumed a fighting stance, Keyblade extended. Kabuto merely stayed still.

"Naruto-kun, before we begin, if I could ask you a question?" He began innocently enough. Naruto frowned and nodded.

"Um, sure?"

"Where exactly did you get that keyblade again?" Kabuto poised, head tilting ever so slightly. Naruto blinked and shrugged, still smiling.

"Family heirloom. It was the last thing they left me… The only thing, actually," he lied. Kabuto nodded thoughtfully.

"It's interesting... I seem to_remember_ reading something about that," Kabuto mused, seemingly half to himself, half to the blond genin before him. Above, Kakashi frowned, as did the Hokage from his box seat.

"What? What did you read?" Asked Naruto curiously. Kabuto's mental smirk grew.

"Some kind of ancient weapon shaped like a giant key... it was said to give whoever held it great power. Virtually limitless, apparently," the glasses-wearing boy went on. Naruto became somewhat agitated.

"Limitless power, huh?"

"Yes," Kabuto confirmed with a nod, "_Although_..." He trailed off. Naruto frowned.

"Although?" He prompted.

"… After that, the rest becomes fragmented," Kabuto completed his thought.

"Fragmented? What do you mean?" Naruto inquired. Sure, he'd heard the basic legend from the Hokage, but Kabuto seemed… More knowledgeable, somehow. He knew about fake Keyblades, after all.

"Well... the reports were _written_ a number of years ago, and only _small_ words and phrases survive," Kabuto went on. "...Master of Keyblade... Chasers... Keyblade War... Birth by Sleep..."

He paused, just long enough to catch Naruto's gaze, and peek a hint of anxiety under the surface of his deep blue eyes.

"And then it goes on to say that this 'Keyblade Master,' went on to become a hero, a savior, who halted some kind of great calamity," Kabuto delivered. He then smirked ever so slightly.

"But…"

The short silences between his sentences were clearly agitating the Keybearer, just as Kabuto had hoped. And the tension and confusion growing around them wasn't bad either.

"...In the very same fragment... It says that the Keyblade itself was the instrument by which the world was destroyed." Kabuto looked at Naruto with professional curiosity, but just the right hint of suspicion to direct the spotlight of attention on him.

"I just wonder, _which_ legend is true," he said quietly, "Do you have any idea?"

Naruto felt an intense feeling of deja-vu. He felt put upon the spot, something telling him that every eye in the arena was focused on him in curiosity, and some in suspicion. He felt a bead of sweat drip down his forehead, yet he wasn't sure why he was so tense, why the Keyblade was urging him to attack.

"I mean, since you have that giant key and all, an heirloom of your family... I thought you might know something about it."

"I'm afraid I don't know," Naruto got out in an even voice. "I'm not one for legends…"

He then grinned.

"Because I intend to be one of my own!"

Kabuto shrugged, drawing one of his ninja-info cards.

"Funny that... I have this card on your father... rather a great warrior... it mentions nothing about any key..."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"You… My _father_? You… You know who he is? How?"

"Proctor, please direct the fighters to begin," the Hokage's aged but strong voice called out. Kabuto glanced at the Hokage, before looking back at Naruto, brows raised.

"It looks like they don't want you to know..." Kabuto suggested, inwardly grinning at the signs of betrayal already in Naruto's eyes.

"Naruto, quit blabbing and start fighting already!" Sakura shouted.

"C'mon Naruto!" Tenten added.

"Funny that... what _reason_ would they have to keep you down?" Kabuto asked, small smile on his face. Naruto growled.

"They're not keeping me down! They just can't tell me until I'm a certain age! They promised! And anyways, how the hell do you know about my father?"

"I think they made a _promise_ to your father as well..." Kabuto calmly returned, and Naruto snarled, ready to use his favorite jutsu against this bastard.

"Yakushi Kabuto! Say one more word and I will have you arrested for violating a Hokage's standing orders!" Sarutobi shouted, the ANBU around him tensing, ready to attack at a single word. Kabuto merely closed his eyes and smiled.

"Yes. And that would be a _messy_ court case, wouldn't it? All the _evidence_ that would need to be admitted... and made _public record_…" The Hokage bristled, as did every Leaf jounin and ANBU there.

"Kabuto, either shut the hell up and fight, or I'm kicking your ass!" Naruto shouted.

"Fine," Kabuto quipped, "I quit."

"The hell?" Naruto growled. Kabuto gave him that same eerie smile, even as the white-haired boy felt Orochimaru's killing intent being directed at him.

"I know enough when to fight and when not to. After all... There's more important things than violence," he spoke, glancing at the furious-looking Orochimaru. He turned to go, but looked over his shoulder at the seething Naruto.

"Good luck kid… You're going to_need_ it…" He tossed back ominously.

"Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!" Hayate declared, shrugging apologetically at the blond genin, who turned and stormed back to the catwalk.

"Heh, figures he'd need his opponent to _surrender_ to actually win!" Kiba barked in laughter, Akamaru yipping alongside. Hinata clutched her hands together, feeling anguished at the humiliation her crush had suffered.

_Naruto-kun… That… That _bastard_! How dare he taunt you like that!_

Hinata slapped her hands over her mouth, even though she'd only cursed in her mind.

Naruto got back up to the observation level, trudging back down towards Sakura and Kakashi. Between him and there were Team 8, and a still-laughing Kiba.

"Oh man, that _was_ impressive!" Kiba howled. "You _sure_ showed him, Deadlast! I wouldn't be surprised if-!"

"Inuzuka Kiba, Hyuuga Neji, please come down for your match!" The proctor announced. Kiba grinned.

"Allright Akamaru! Let's go and-GAH!" Kiba fell off the catwalk and crash landed on the hard stone of the arena floor. Akamaru landed on top of him with a yip, looking back up in concern.

Naruto, Shino, and Kurenai were meanwhile gawking in sheer disbelief at the blushing Hinata. Well, Shino's eyebrows just went up a whole lot, but for the stoic Aburame this may as well have been a scream.

"U-Um, sorry Kiba-kun!" Hinata called out quietly. "I uh… I tripped."

"That's, ugh, no problem Hinata!" Kiba called back. "I'm okay!"

She looked back at her teammates and crush and bowed in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry, I don't know, uh, what came over me, and, well, uh…"

Kurenai shook her head and sighed.

"Hinata…" She gave her a small, grudging smile. "Just don't make a habit out of it."

Shino lowered his brows, and looked over at Naruto, who was still too shocked to speak. After a few moments, he smiled.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan," he said, and he meant it. Hinata just blushed even more furiously, but was able to maintain eye contact. The genuine, heartwarming appreciation in his eyes made it all worth it.

"Y… You're welcome," she got out quietly.

Back with Sakura, Kakashi had turned to leave. The pink-haired girl frowned.

"Kakashi-sensei? Where are you going?"

"I'm off to check on Sasuke… Don't worry, he's just fine. We're just running some additional tests," he answered, before poofing away. Sakura grimaced, but decided to try and distract herself by watching the upcoming match.

She couldn't help but admire the way Hyuuga Neji carried himself, a cool confidence in his steps as he walked down to face his opponent.

"GO NEJI! SHOW HIM HOW YOUR FIRES OF YOUTH SHINE!" Gai cheered.

"YOSH! GO NEJI!" Lee added. Neji simply ignored the cheering, as the proctor looked between the stoic Hyuuga and grinning Inuzuka.

"Ready…? Begin," he stated, stepping clear.

- - - - - - - - -

The Konoha hospital ward where Uchiha Sasuke was being kept was heavily guarded. A whole ANBU squad had been stationed outside and around the room, as the sedated Uchiha was carefully monitored and observed.

_Had,_ being the operative word. They were now all dead on the floor, easily wiped out by Kabuto. He stood in the room, looking thoughtfully at the unconscious Sasuke as his chest moved up and down, heart monitors beeping at a steady rhythm.

Kabuto knew he'd been put under so that some of the more invasive medical techniques used to scan him would not inflict pain, or even cause death in some rare instances.

It wasn't as if he would be a _real_ threat to the white-haired genin if he was awake, but Kabuto occasionally welcomed a challenge, and so far his "errand" had been lacking.

He recalled the words the Orochimaru he'd met outside the tower had said, after charging him to kidnap the Uchiha.

"_Remember, Kabuto-kun… If you wish to stop me… You must kill Sasuke."_

He'd said he was kidding shortly after, but Kabuto knew better.

The sannin's motives were difficult to discern. Doubtless, he knew that Kabuto was not _entirely_ as devoted as the rest of the Sound Village morons were. He probably knew of his connection to Maleficent. And yet, here he was, Orochimaru's prize in his reach.

Helpless.

In Kabuto's eyes, Orochimaru offered him the chance to explore life, death, and chakra in ways Konoha denied him. To toy with death, master it, manipulate it. Make it his servant.

Maleficent, however… She saw that at the root of his double-dealing and "inhumane" pursuits, was true curiosity, a thirst for knowledge. She offered him the _universe,_ to travel from world to world, explore every deep and dark secret hidden within the fabric of creation _itself._

Ultimate knowledge, was ultimate power in Kabuto's mind. Orochimaru was too obsessed with his personal revenge and fear of death to truly appreciate his talents.

And yet… Maleficent, she remained the biggest enigma of all.

"Hello, Hatake Kakashi," he spoke at last, turning around to face the Copy Ninja. His lone visible eye was narrowed, scrutinizing him with the cool finesse of a hunting cat. Kabuto smirked.

"It's an honor to meet you."

"Seven times you've tried for the chuunin exams… Seven times you've failed," Kakashi noted flatly. "Though this is the first time you went ahead with a match. Orochimaru trying to make an example of you?"

"If you capture me now, you might not be able to prove the connection between me and Orochimaru.," Kabuto smoothly replied.

"No, but at this point I really don't care about that. I just want answers," Kakashi retorted. Kabuto shrugged. At this point, it didn't really matter…

"Orochimaru wished to punish me for my insolence, by sending me up against Naruto-san." His smirk grew just a bit wider.

"Shame such a weak mind is behind that kind of power," he mused aloud, "the Keyblade _and_ the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Give it enough time, and he could become the most powerful warrior on this, and any other world."

"If that's the case, why is your master interested in Sasuke?" Kakashi asked. Kabuto shook his head.

"I should think that would be obvious… He wants complete mastery of all things ninja, before moving on to bigger, _better_ things…"

"Such as?"

"And I should give it all away to you because…?"

"You are such a little brat, kid," Kakashi grunted. Kabuto smirked.

"A kid as strong as you are… But I'm already behind schedule as it is."

With that, one of the ANBU corpses got up and threw itself through the window, as 'Kabuto' slumped, falling dead to the floor with a sickly smile. Kakashi looked out the smashed window, seeing the ANBU pull off his mask and reveal the same, smirking face before he vanished.

The jounin sighed, checking the fake Kabuto over.

_I see…_ _He used _that_ jutsu to reanimate the corpse and disguise it as himself just long enough to provide a distraction and escape._

Kakashi turned again to the window, lone eye narrowed.

_Whatever Orochimaru's plans, Sasuke… I can't let you be taken._

He grimaced.

_And I can't let Naruto fall into his webs, either… What am I going to do?_

_- - - - - - - - -_

Back at the tower, the Inuzuka cracked his knuckles and grinned, as Akamaru barked beside him.

"Just to warn you, we've been training against Hinata, so don't think you've got anything we can't handle!"

The white-eyed boy merely smirked, and settled into the traditional Hyuuga Jyuken stance.

"Let's go Akamaru!" Kiba shouted, charging Neji straight on. The Hyuuga's eyes bulged as his bloodline activated, and he easily dodged Kiba's first punch. Akamaru attacked from the opposite side, but Neji merely batted him away, a burst of blue chakra leaving his hand as

Akamaru yelped.

"What the-? Akamaru!" Kiba shouted, throwing several smoke bombs. Neji frowned, scanning the smoke for only a moment… Before pulling a kunai to block the weapons thrown at him easily.

"Do you think you can really win that way?" The Hyuuga asked drolly. Kiba laughed.

"Just setting you up, girly boy! _GATSUUGA_!"

Kiba spun up into a tornado and launched himself at Neji, who easily dodged the attack and the followup as the living maelstrom curved around again. Kiba ceased his spinning and skidded to a halt, Akamaru leaping next to him. The little dog was panting, but still determined to fight.

"Looks like we'll have to go all out, boy," Kiba said. He pulled a red pill from his weapons pouch and tossed it to the dog, who swallowed it. His fur turned red and the little dog grew in size, snarling at the still-smirking Neji.

"This one's gonna take you down for sure! _Shikyaku no Jutsu_!" Kiba shouted. He made handseals, chakra flaring out of his body as he began to change. His canines extended, his fingernails became claws, and his entire manner became more beast-like.

" _Jūjin Bunshin_!" He snarled out, and Akamaru poofed into a mirror image of his master, growling in stereo. The two charged up with chakra, as Neji simply stood there.

"_GATSUUGA_!" Both Kibas roared, becoming larger and more powerful drilling tornadoes that sped straight for Neji. The Hyuuga narrowed his amazing eyes, bending his knees only slightly...

Before slamming both hands out into either tornado, chakra pulses blowing both Akamaru and Kiba out of their transformations and crashing to the ground.

"Kiba!" Hinata cried out in shock, as Kiba groaned, staggering back up to his feet. He turned back and gaped at the smirking Hyuuga.

"How... How the _hell_ did you do that?!"

"My Byakugan can trace how chakra is applied and molded, inside and around your body. In this case, your _Gatsuuga_ has your chakra flaring out of your _tenketsu_ points in a wild spin. I merely applied just enough chakra to disrupt your flow, and bring you both out of the jutsu."

Neji settled forward in an attacking stance.

"Now, it's time to end this. You're in range of my divination... _Hakke Rokujūyon Shō_ (Eight Trigrams, Sixty-Four Palms)!"

Neji sprang forward with incredible speed, fingers burning with bright blue chakra as they lanced out, striking the stunned Kiba at an ever increasing speed.

"Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms! Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms! _Sixty-four palms, eight trigrams!"_

The chakra blasts closed every one of Kina's tenketsu points, making him scream in agony as the fire-hot chakra burned into his body. Waving a bit, blood dripping from his mouth, Kiba fell forward, completely still.

"Kiba! Kiba!" Hinata called out, a deep fear growing in the pit of her stomach. What kind of person was she, pushing Kiba into the arena like that! And now he was-!

"He's alive," Neji told the proctor flatly. "And unable to continue."

"Um... Winner, Hyuuga Neji," Hayate coughed, as several medic ninja came out, putting Kiba and Akamaru on stretchers. Hinata shivered as Neji shot her a cold look, before resuming his trek up the stairs to Gai and Lee, who were loudly congratulating and cheering him.

"YOSH! Excellent work, Neji! As expected of my eternal rival!" Lee loudly declared.

"Indeed! Well done, Neji!" Gai added. Neji managed a curt nod to both, before resuming staring out at the arena. Tenten offered him a smile, which he barely acknowledged as well.

Hinata almost jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder, but relaxed when she saw it was just Naruto, smiling at her.

"Hey, don't worry, he'll be fine. Dog boy's a lot tougher than he looks, right?" The blond suggested. Sure, he didn't like Kiba a whole lot, but Hinata clearly cared about him so it was better to comfort her.

_Heh, I'm getting this friend thing down pretty well,_ Naruto thought.

Hinata nodded with a shy smile.

"So, let's hope I'm the one who fights two matches!" Naruto grinned. "I mean, that thing with Kabuto... I want to show how strong I've gotten too! Why should Sakura-chan be the only one, right?"

"R-Right," Hinata nodded, shy smile growing a little more bold, even as anxiety appeared in her heart at his words... And touch. Even if it was just his hand on her shoulder, she couldn't help but turn bright red.

_Naruto-kun is touching me... Naruto-kun is touching me… Naruto-kunistouchingme! Naruto-kunistouchingme-!_

_Calm down, calm down,_ she told herself, taking deep breaths. She sighed, finally getting her blood pressure under control (though she was still blushing furiously). Hinata then frowned, another thought coming to mind.

_The only ones left are myself, the Sand girl with the fan, the redheaded boy from Sand, Lee, Tenten, the last sound kunoichi, and myself..._

Hinata laughed quietly at the absurdity of her musing.

_But what are the odds of Naruto having to fight another match, against me for that matter?_

"Next match," began Hayate, "Hyuuga Hinata versus... Uzumaki Naruto!"

- - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and removed a lot of profanity, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Yeah, cheap foreshadowing technique at the end. Sorry about that. Overall, this is now my longest chapter ever. I try to keep each one below thirty pages long to keep the story from dragging on. Also, I keep trying to make each chapter like a real episode of Naruto._

_Second math exam is coming up tomorrow. I'm finishing this up because typing helps with my stress level. _

_Considerable input was given to me on this chapter by Koroshiya, Captain Sarcasm, and Nico Hana. Koroshiya and Nico Hana are both authors on this site, so you should definitely check out their works. They helped make this chapter what it is._

_Interpret the character interactions how ever you like, the only definite pairing is Naruharem (and even that has not been fully worked out yet). _

_If you don't know her, Gadget Hackwrench was a character on "Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers", who was a brilliant mechanic and engineer. She struck me as more the type for gummi ship work, so I put her in._

_Donald and Goofy have begun their quest, but they're still not going to make it to Konoha for a few chapters. Don't worry though, they'll still play an important part._

_And I just noticed I haven't had Vivi appear in a while. I'll have to fix that next time…_

_Seven matches down, four more to go. Now, it's omake time!_

By Yamimaru:

Omake 3(About a week after Omake 1.)

Sasuke looked around, not sensing any of the fangirls that would usually be attempting to

glomp-tackle him from all sides as he did his grocery shopping.

"It's quiet, too quiet."

"Wondering where all your fangirls went?"

Sasuke let out a yelp of surprise as he turned to face...

"Kakashi, don't sneak up on me like that! And yeah, I'm not complaining, but where did all the fangirls go? Usually, I'd have run into at least thirty of them by now!"

"Well Sasuke, after the whole thing about you being emo got out at the Chunin examfinals..."

Five minutes later, at Naruto's apartment...

Sasuke burst into the apartment and saw a sight that horrified him.

A half naked Naruto surrounded by no less then twenty former members of the Uchiha Sasuke fanclub, including Ino and Sakura, plus Hinata, Tenten, that Kin girl from Otogakure, and Temari from Sunagakure. And Sasuke had never seen clothes like what Naruto was wearing.

"What's up, Sasuke-bitch?" Naruto said as he tilted up the rim of his red pimp hat,complete with large feather. He grinned with gold-plated teeth as he held up his Keyblade, which now resembled a pimp cane.

"… This is_so_ going on my Livejournal," Sasuke sighed.

By The-Xenocide:

(Easily the most disturbing omake I've seen in a _while.)_

They stared at each other. It was an incredibly awkward moment.

"So uh…..you're the Key Bearer, huh?" Naruto absently scuffed his sandal against the ground.

Sora scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, I guess I am."

A beat.

"You too?"

The blonde ninja grinned. "You bet your naked Axel boxers I am!"

"How in the world did you find out about those? Not even Riku knows, and I know for a fact that he snoops through my underwear drawer!"

Naruto blinked. "I was…kidding?"

Sora blushed outrageously. "Oh. Er….just forget what I just said, all right?"

A shrug.

"Whatever."

Another awkward pause.

"I bet mine's bigger than yours."

Sora scoffed. "I doubt it. I mean, look at these shoes! They don't even make them this big anymore! And you know what they say about big feet."

_What the hell does shoes have to do with size? _

"Put your money where your mouth is, teme. I bet you a free meal that mine's way bigger and cooler than yours!" Naruto grinned and stuck his tongue out.

"You've got nothing on the original, little boy! Bring it on!" Sora was brimming with confidence. There was no way that a second rate Key Bearer could beat him!

"All right then. On the count of three, we'll whip'em out, ok?" Naruto readied himself.

"One! Two!...Three!"

A bright flash of light, and the Keyblade was in Naruto's hands, gleaming proudly as he gave it a deft twirl. "Check out the new and improved version, teme! Just stick yours out here and— " He halted, gaping openly at a now completely pants-less Sora.

Sora blinked. "Ah. You meant the Keyblade, didn't you?"

_A/N: Well, least the yaoi fangirls reading this will be happy…)_

By Kafaru:

'What in God's name was I thinking!' He thought as Sasuke observed the Pokeball.

"So Your saying little creatures come out of these balls?" Sasuke asked a random pokemon Trainer.

"Yep I'll Show you!" the trainer said as he threw the ball to reveal ninetails which scared Kiba.

"OH MY GOD IT'S A NINE TAILED FOX RUN!" Kiba screamed running like his was on fire. Everyone turned around to see the pokemon as Neji let out a high pitched scream and then faint.

"DESTROY THE FOX! KEEL ITT!" Shino yelled throwing thousands of Kunai & shuriken everywhere. Everyone else just ran around screaming an what did Naruto Do?

Naruto just sighed.

"I have psychos for friends" He said walking away with many fox like pokemon following him.

(_A/N: Not just women who adore him, LOL)_

By Yamimaru:

_Just how do Naruto and co. get to different worlds for their offworld missions?_

"So how are we going to go on these missions to other worlds again ero-sennin?"

"I told you not to call me that gaki!" Jiraiya yelled as he brought his fist down on

Naruto's head. "And I told you, we're going to take my Gummi Ship!" The old pervert pulled

a remote out of a pocket in the inside of his coat, and pressed the button on it, causing

a nearby garage door to open, revealing a Gummi Ship that looked like a giant version of a

typical pimp's car, complete with a "Pimpmobile" bumper-sticker. The reactions of Teams 7,

8, 10, and Team Gai were quite humorous:

Naruto, Sakura, Kiba, Ino, Chouji, TenTen, Neji, and Kurenai just stood there, their jaws

dropped.

Sasuke was slightly freaked out by the machine, and tried to hide it, without any success.

Shino, Shikamaru, Kakashi, and Asume each raised an eyebrow and Shikamaru muttered

mendokuse.

Hinata was slightly scared by it.

Gai and Lee launched into a rant of how un-youthful the thing was, followed by one of

their crying/hugging sessions.

Jiraiya stared at them for a moment. "At least wait until you see the inside! And you two,

stop that, do you know how ridiculously gay that looks?!"

By Me:

(_Because someone had to do it)_

Within Sakura's mind, she felt something grow, a warmth that spread from her chest, becoming stronger as Naruto's shouts became louder.

"I… I am not weak… I am not weak… I AM NOT WEAK!"

_**HELL YEAH WE'RE NOT!**_ Inner Sakura chimed in. _**C'mon Sakura, let's show this bitch what we can do!**_

_She's going DOWN!_

With a rush every sense returned to her. Vision, hearing, pain…

"I am NOT giving UP!" Sakura roared, her pink hair turning yellow and spiky as her aura flared in incredible power.

"Kakashi, what does the Sharingan say about her power level ?!" Asuma bellowed. Kakashi beared his Sharingan and frowned.

"It's over_nine-thousannnnd!"_

-End-

_Please review! Be as critical as you like, I don't improve the story if everyone just goes "U RULE!"_ _Not that I mind them, but I'd just prefer more analysis._


	19. Chuunin Exam Prelims, Part 3

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Hinata couldn't help but tremble, standing on the arena floor, the vast chamber seeming infinitely larger than she could recall. Everything seemed to make her feel small, helpless…

Weak.

Across from her, Naruto ground his teeth, face stone-like. The Keyblade was out in his hand, but seemed eager to vanish back wherever it usually stayed when not in use.

The two combatants stared at each other, a hush falling over the audience. Even Gaara, who had so far paid little attention to the matches, had both eyes firmly locked on Hinata and Naruto.

Sakura frowned above, tightly gripping the railing. Ino emulated her, watching with a blank face.

"This isn't good," Tenten muttered. Nearby, Neji snorted. The brown-haired girl frowned and turned her head to regard her teammate. She blinked in disbelief at the cold smile now adorning his face.

"Neji?" She asked. Neji ignored her, grey eyes intensely focused.

Hayate down below shook his head at the tension that had settled over the arena with this match.

_Not too surprising,_ he thought. _The Kyuubi container, against the Hyuuga heiress…_

"Begin!" He stated, and backed off to a safe distance. The two fighters continued to stare at each other.

"… C'mon, fight you weaklings!" Shouted Kankuro, shaking his fist. The way Gaara had become almost obsessed with the blond kid clearly meant there was something… _Unique_ about him, but so far, aside from that key-thing he wielded the boy wasn't anything out of the ordinary.

"A-Ano…" Hinata began, but stopped as she shook more. Naruto grimaced, and took the Keyblade in both hands.

"Hinata-chan…" Naruto began, "the match… It's begun…" He shrugged.

Hinata didn't respond, her fingers tapping each other irregularly. Naruto ground his teeth again, irritated. He didn't know what to do!

"Are you okay?" The blond asked. Hinata opened her mouth to respond, but a cold voice from above answered for her.

"As expected… Utterly pathetic," sneered Neji, just loud enough to be heard. Naruto looked up and glared at Neji.

"Hey! Shut up you!"

Neji smirked.

"But it's true… Hinata-sama's showing her true self, as I always knew she would. A coward, and a weakling." Neji moved forward and continued, slightly louder.

"You hear me, don't you Hinata-sama? You have no place in this tournament, in this life. You are _pitiful._ You _tremble_ before _another_ loser, someone fate deems even less than you, something I did not believe possible until today…"

"Neji, that's enough," Gai said flatly, without any of his usual exuberance. Neji ignored him, and continued his tirade, Hinata flinching at each of his words as though she were being struck.

"Why don't you just give up now? You're obviously too weak to go through with this, withdraw like we _all_ know you-!"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto roared angrily. He turned to Hinata, who was shakily raising her hand.

"A-A-Ano, Proctor, I-!"

"Hinata!" Naruto shouted. Hinata jumped, hand wavering. She looked down at the stone floor, ashamed… The blond took a deep breath.

"Hinata… Fight me."

The blue-tressed girl looked up in shock, taking a step back. Naruto offered her a small smile.

"_W-W-What?!"_

"Fight me, Hinata," Naruto repeated, voice calm and even. "Hit me with everything you've got."

Hinata gaped in disbelief.

"Wh-What? Why?"

"Hinata…" Naruto bit his lower lip, but pressed on, trying to find the right words.

"You'd only ever be weak to me if you gave up… And you're not. You're not going to let some asshole tear you down without a fight, are you?"

Hinata shook her head, not believing what she was hearing. _Naruto-kun…_ _Naruto-kun wants to fight me?_

"B-But, if I give up, y-you'd win and m-move ahead," Hinata stuttered. Naruto smiled, almost sadly and shook his head.

"No, I wouldn't be winning… You'd just have given up. And… And I don't call that a win. I wouldn't want to become a chuunin without proving that I didn't get through because…. Because my opponents felt _sorry_ for me." Naruto looked her in the eyes as intensely as he could.

"Hinata… Prove that jerk wrong! Prove that you're not weak!"

Hinata continued to tremble, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"B-B-But I can't! I _can't!"_

Neji actually laughed above, something that made Hinata go rigid.

"Give it up, you… No one can change; a loser will always be a loser. That's how life works."

_That's how life works…_ Echoed in Hinata's mind.

"_I don't care what happens to Hinata…"_

"_Just as I expected, a weakling…"_

"_You should just give up now…"_

Hinata was breathing hard now, settling into a somewhat crooked _Jyuken_ stance. The memories Neji's words brought up were so _painful,_ so _agonizing…_ Her father, her sister, other members of her family… Ever since her uncle had died, the compound had become so cold to Hinata. Her family regarding her like an embarrassment to ignore and turn away from…

_No… No… I won't give up, I WON'T!_

"SHUT THE HECK UP OR I'LL MAKE YOU SHUT UP!" Naruto bellowed, shaking his fist at Neji again. His eyes turned red and his killing intent flashed over the arena. Temari's eyes widened.

_This feeling… It's familiar…But what…?_

Naruto turned back to Hinata, teeth grit.

"Hinata, fight me! As hard as you can! You _can_ change, you don't _have_ to be weak! Don't let him control you! _FIGHT ME-ACK!"_

Naruto brought up his Keyblade just in time to block Hinata's first strike. He was amazed at the heat of her hand, the visible chakra flashing against his weapon. Naruto reflexively pushed chakra into his Keyblade to help repel the blast, just as Hinata's other hand came around, open-palm.

_DAMN!_ His mind shouted as the hand touched his shoulder, just before he spun away from Hinata. Her hand had felt like _fire_, only it was burning on the inside!

Taking cues from his Keyblade Naruto dropped down, swinging for Hinata's ankles. She jumped over the strike and twisted in mid-air, her grey eyes bulging with veins to indicate that her bloodline was active, and her face fierce in determination.

Naruto rolled out of the way, barely getting back to his feet, now forced to parry Hinata's blows with his left hand as his right shoulder was still burning in pain.

Kicking off the arena floor he forward-flipped over Hinata, swinging for her shoulder. She cried out in pain as the sharp teeth of the Keyblade slashed through her jacket into her skin, but even as Naruto had twisted into a landing she was pulling kunai and throwing them.

Naruto, letting the Keyblade guide his actions, stood his ground and blocked every one, gritting his teeth and reaching up to the handle of his weapon. He bent one knee and charged forward as Hinata did the same, her pale hands blazing with chakra.

He ducked to his right and swung, batting away her hands while he twisted on one foot to slam the other into the side of her stomach. Hinata fell back with the blow, twirling around to slam one hand into the Keyblade while the other moved for his throat.

Naruto fell on his back and shoved one foot out into Hinata's stomach, making her gasp as he pulled her weight forward. His other foot he had rechambered and kicked it into Hinata's stomach hard enough to throw her off Naruto, crashing to the arena floor a few feet in front of him.

Naruto groaned but got back up, as Hinata recovered almost as quickly, a hand straying to her stomach and holding it. The blond panted but waited, wanting to see Hinata's next move. He'd almost thought she had gone berserk, but the way she'd fought made it clear she was thinking through her movements.

_Definitely _NOT_ weak,_ he decided, _though maybe's she snapped a little… What the heck?!_

Hinata had unzipped her coat and let it fall to the arena floor with a louder-than-expected _thud,_ as though it was weighted. Naruto's eyes slowly climbed back up to Hinata's torsoe… And he blushed.

_Holy crap! She's… She's… _

"Wow," he muttered. Hinata, no longer in her previous fury, blushed at how her violet undershirt was tight enough to show just how _developed_ she really was.

"What the… Hinata's got _boobs?"_ Sakura gaped. Self-consciously she looked at her somewhat meager chest and flushed. Ino sighed, shaking her head.

_Oh well, I'm still better than Forehead,_ the blonde decided with a smirk.

Hinata shook her head, and resumed her fighting stance. Naruto did as well… And smiled when Hinata smiled shyly back.

"N-Naruto-kun… N-No holding back?" She asked. Naruto grinned and nodded.

"No holding back," he responded, and charged. Hinata stood her ground, Byakugan activated. She moved fluidly with Naruto's first blow, deflecting most of the momentum with a _Jyuken_ burst, and bent down to deliver a leg sweep at Naruto.

The blond leaped, curling and spinning his Keyblade to slam it into her head. Hinata fell back, the Keyblade missing by inches, as she threw another chakra-charged palm at Naruto's side. She struck him in the arm again, and he fell back, performing a one-handed cartwheel to put some distance between them.

Both stood back up, staring at each other, breathing hard. Naruto licked his lips, and smiled apologetically.

"Hinata-chan, I'd like to say I'm sorry," he said. Hinata blinked.

"For what?"

Naruto held up his hands, forming a cross over the hilt of the Keyblade.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

Three dozen more Narutos poofed into existence, the resulting crowd surrounding Hinata. The original just grinned at the shocked look Hinata was giving him.

"For underestimating you," Naruto said honestly. Hinata blinked once or twice… Before a strange, almost peaceful smile came onto her face. Naruto smiled back, looking relieved. Hinata assumed a defensive _Jyuken_ stance, and the _Kage Bunshins_ as one grinned, Keyblades at the ready.

"_Charge!"_

Hinata's Byakugan allowed her to track the incoming _bunshins,_ slamming her hands into each pair that attacked. The original frowned, watching this curiously.

_Damn, it's like she can see in all directions! So how do I beat her…? Wait, I've got it!_

Naruto had eight clones charge her at once, and made several more to screen his movements. Hinata slammed her palms into two, turning them to smoke and barely avoiding another pair's Keyblades by jumping away, spinning around to face the next set.

But even with the ability to see almost 360 degrees around her, Hinata could be fooled.

"U!" Shouted a clone jumping through the smoke of the two clones Hinata had just iced, swinging a chakra-charged Keyblade at her ankles and sending her falling back with a gasp.

"ZU! MA! KI!" The next clones shouted, sliding between the legs of other bunshins on three sides of Hinata and kicking her up into the air. Hinata looked up and gaped as the original Naruto jumped into view above her.

"NARUTO RENDAN!" Hinata shut her eyes, awaiting the final blow… But was pleasantly surprised to feel herself be taken in a warm embrace as she descended, her opponent holding her in his arms. Her Byakugan showed that it was Naruto who was now carrying her bridal style, embarrassed smile on his face. Her face went bright red.

_Naruto-kun…! So… Happy…_

"Er, sorry, I went a little overboard and… Hinata-chan? You okay? Hinata-chan?"

Naruto blinked, and looked up, the hand not supporting the now-limp Hyuuga rubbing the back of his head. He closed his eyes, embarrassed smile on his face.

"Er… She passed out…"

Ignoring the face faults occurring all around the arena, Hayate walked over to Hinata and checked for himself.

"Yep, she's out. Winner, Uzumaki Naruto!"

The medic ninja came over and Naruto gently set Hinata down on the stretcher. The medics carried her away, and the blond simply watched her depart, wincing and holding his shoulder. He turned to smirk triumphantly at Neji… Who was smirking back.

"Indeed… Just as I said," he stated.

_THUNK!_

Neji only raised an eyebrow as he turned his eyes just enough to see the Keyblade, vibrating slightly from the force of Naruto's throw. Tenten gaped at the fact that the weapon's toothed crown was imbedded all the way in the wall.

Neji looked back down at Naruto, eyebrow still raised. Naruto held out his hand and the Keyblade returned to its wielder, who held it aloft and pointed it at the Hyuuga. The meaning was clear, as Neji stared impassively at Naruto's defiant glare.

"Neji," Naruto called loudly, weapon still aloft, "You better not get scared and run away—because I'm gonna _kick_ your girly ass!"

Neji's lip curled slightly into an almost unnoticeable sneer. Tenten grimaced and looked away—hoping she could subtly disassociate herself from her team member.

"Like I'd waste my time on a loser like you," Neji jeered, and crossed his arms firmly, making a great show of looking down his nose at Naruto, who glared back hostilely, eyes turning red again.

"_You_—"

"Hey," Tenten interrupted, just loud enough to be heard by both boys, but keeping her voice carefully blank so no one could accuse her of butting in. "They're starting up the next match."

Dutifully, the remaining genin turned towards the monitor, watching indecipherable characters flit across the screen. Tenten tensed, her fingers itching to wrap around one of her blades. Would this match be hers…?

_Kin Tsuchi versus Akadou Yoroi_

Tenten grimaced—didn't look like this one was hers either. Down below her, Naruto shot an apathetic look towards the two competing ninjas, before resting the Keyblade on his shoulder. He turned to go, took a few steps, glared at Neji, and then continued out; following the retreating medics.

Temari watched the blond go, a frown still on her face. _Was it… Really him?_

Tenten waited until Naruto was out of earshot before rounding on the Hyuuga prodigy. "Jeez Neji, you didn't have to be so mean."

Neji stared at her blankly for a few seconds, just long enough to make her uncomfortable, before deciding that she was worthy of his divine attention.

"I wasn't aware of the depths of your affections towards Uzumaki, Tenten," he observed.

Tenten glowered. How dare he insinuate that she would involve her emotions! If they were romantic or not, that wasn't the issue!

"You know I'm not like that, Neji," Tenten replied icily, and braced one of her feet against the rail, "I'm just saying it wouldn't _kill_ you to play nice with the other kids once in a while."

"I don't _play_," Neji said quietly, "It's not good to be attached to things when you're a ninja. You end up losing—fate has already decidedly what it shall take away from us."

Tenten snorted, "It's called therapy, Neji." She pushed herself upwards, landing lightly on the arena's floor and jogging after Naruto. Neji stared after her for a moment, before returning his attention to empty space.

- - - - - - - - -

"Whoa," Ino leaned eagerly over the railing, watching Naruto stalk off. "Wish I'd fought _him_—"

"Ino!" Sakura hissed, furiously trying to will the sudden flush from her cheeks. "Would you _knock it off_ already?! He's not even attractive—he's just…He's Naruto!" She finished somewhat lamely, and shot the other girl a sharp glance. Ino whistled lowly, and raised her eyebrows meaningfully.

"That would be the _point_, forehead."

"I—_you_—just…Shut up, pig." Sakura sighed, and rubbed tiredly at her temples, trying to ignore the almost psychotic cackle Ino was giving off. Despite her best efforts, she still noticed when Ino suddenly fell silent. Opening her eyes worriedly, she glanced over at her friend—

….Oh no….

It was _him_.

"Uzumaki," Gaara said, his voice creepily devoid of emotion, "Is your teammate?" Sakura swallowed, clenching her hands tightly.

"What do you want?" She asked slowly, barely aware of Ino stepping up beside her, offering her support. It was odd—that…that weird feeling she had gotten from fighting Ino was coming back. It was cold—and alien to her. It felt almost like another energy source, like another chakra tap. But, chakra was warm…

Maybe, Sakura had a flash of insight; Maybe the voice inside her head had a power too? Maybe this was _her_ chakra?

_**Nope**_, the voice informed her, _**But we've got a ready victim right in front of us. You want to test it out?**_

_Thanks, but I'll pass_, Sakura thought sarcastically, _Unlike you, I seem to have a sense of self-preservation._

_**That's harsh. He's probably just a giant teddy bear.**_

_More like he'd EAT teddy bears—_

"I want to kill him," Gaara said. It took her a moment to remember who they were talking about, but when she did, it was hard to control the sudden protective rage inside of her. Beside her, Ino was trembling—probably from chakra exhaustion and fear.

Sakura forced herself to smile nastily, "Good luck," she said coolly, and turned away dismissively, her hands shaking, already bracing herself for the splinter of sand Kiba had warned them of.

But Gaara didn't attack them. Instead, he stared darkly at the doorway through which the genin had gone, his circled eyes narrowed.

_Uzumaki…You haven't shown us everything yet, have you…? _

Kankuro shook his head and looked at his sister. She was still looking where the blond had gone. He had felt that killing intent, true, and it had a familiar edge… But it wasn't anything to worry about, right? It was just a story, right? So what if Gaara was obsessed with him? Nothing to worry about, right?

_Right?_

- - - - - - - - -

_This guy_, Kin realized, _is one of Orochimaru-sama's spies. What am I supposed to do in this situation? Should I lose on purpose so that he'll be able to continue on undercover?_

Her opponent leered at her, noticeable even under his mask and dark glasses. She stiffened as she felt his gaze sweep over her body.

_Screw it_, she decided. She was just going to kick his ass and figure out what to do from there.

- - - - - - - - -

Tenten walked quickly along the hallways. She didn't have much time until Kin's match ended, and automatic disqualification because she had been absent was not an option. Fortunately, the infirmary wasn't far from the battle area.

Respectfully, she slid the door back after knocking twice. A few of the medics looked up, acknowledging her disinterestedly before returning to their duties. She skimmed over the other patients in the room quickly, before spotting Naruto in the far corner, his shoulder treatment seeming to be forcibly applied. Tenten took a steadying breath, and approached.

"Hey," Tenten waved awkwardly, padding over to stand beside Hinata's bedside. The medic who had been poking at Naruto's shoulder abruptly stood, gracing her with an understanding look before bustling away. Tenten watched their retreat. What had that been all about?

"Oh. Hi." Naruto blinked at her suspiciously, but at least he didn't whip out the keyblade and start attacking. Tenten settled herself down gingerly, and tried for a smile. Several stretched seconds passed, and Tenten found herself fidgeting under his narrowed gaze.

"I, uh… is Hinata okay?" She tried as a diversion tactic. She glanced down at the slumbering girl. Naruto blinked, casting a concerned eye over Hinata.

Tenten found herself impatient for him to stop surveying her.

"Yeah, she's going to be fine. I feel sorta bad though… Actually, not really. My shoulder hurts like a bitch." Naruto laughed, and rubbed wearily at his wound. Tenten's lips twitched up, a flashback of Hinata going berserk flickering through her mind.

"She's going to like that. You both fought well." The compliment tacked onto the end hadn't been a part of her game plan. Nervously, she started inspecting her nails, pretending that her dearest wish wasn't to sink into the floor.

_Why am I so nervous all of a sudden?_

"Yeah, Hinata's really amazing. I never knew she could be so tough! And her technique is awesome. I mean, all of us can chuck stuff, but her-Wow! She can, like, shoot chakra out of her hands! It's so awesome!" Naruto babbled enthusiastically, waving his hands around in excitement. The bubbles of giddy nervousness within Tenten abruptly popped, leaving her cold and empty.

"Yeah," Tenten pretended to nod along, thinking about all the times Neji had blasted her

with his 'awesome chakra.'

So what if she didn't have any special abilities? So what if she wasn't from some great ninja clan with unique abilities? So what if she wasn't anything special? So what if she was a year older and taller than Hinata but more flat-chested and what did that have to do with _anything_?!

"I guess it is." She pulled a fake smile, and then turned to go, her hands tensed and lips tight. She felt stupid for coming here. Shouldn't she have been loosening up her muscles or…?

"Hey! Isn't your match soon? I mean, um… Why are you here?" Naruto called her back,

effectively destroying her pity party. The temptation to hit the Hyuuga (either one) was certainly strong.

"Nothing really. I just wanted to apologize about Neji." She ground out, and pushed her hands heavily into her dark green pants.

"Why can't Neji apologize for Neji?" Naruto grumbled. He plopped down onto the floor, sitting cross legged and squinting up at her, a pout in place. The word cute was insisting its way into her mind. Not only was it irritating, but it was totally killing her bad mood.

Tenten firmly reminded herself that she liked. Older. Boys. Definitely not younger boys who disregarded her best (and favorite) skill…

"I'm working on it. It took a while to teach him how to talk. Social interaction's the next step. But anyway, I'm sorry that he offended you and Hinata." Tenten muttered dryly, leaning lightly against the infirmary door frame.

Naruto's eyes nearly popped out his head, his gape being truly impressive. After a few seconds though, he started laughing, and after a moment of reflexive tensing, Tenten relaxed as well.

"It's not you I'm mad at, Tenten, really," he explained with a grin. "But… Thanks. I appreciate it."

She smiled back, suddenly shy. She turned to go.

"Well… If you need anything, um…"

Naruto nodded back.

"I got it," he said quietly. Tenten nodded one last time, and headed out, as Naruto turned back to his lone vigil on the unconscious Hinata.

- - - - - - - - -

Kin produced a small flute from her weapons pouch. The instrument seemed unremarkable, save for a pair of metal feathered wings on either side of the end far from the mouthpiece. Twirling it dramatically she brought it to her lips and began to blow a haunting tune. It was unsettling while at the same time beautiful, everyone watching feeling the music roll over their senses powerfully.

Kurenai frowned, and exchanged glances with Kakashi. The silver-haired ninja nodded.

"What's she doing? That guy… He's just _standing_ there," Ino frowned, eyes narrowed at Yoroi. The masked ninja was transfixed, eyes locked onto Kin. A dark aura began to flow around him.

"And what is that aura around him?" She added. Shikamaru sighed.

"What are you talking about? There isn't an aura around him," the lazy ninja indicated. Ino snarled.

"What, are you blind or something?! Can't you see it? I mean, it's flowing all over him!"

"I can see it too…" Sakura said with a grimace. "What _is_ that stuff?"

"It looks like she's placing him in a _genjutsu_, using the music to manipulate his senses," Shino supplied analytically. His brow furrowed slightly. "Though I too cannot see any aura."

Kurenai's frown deepened, her arms crossed over her chest. _First that strange power, now this?_

Like any other jounin, she could see the waves of chakra in the air as the genjutsu took effect, but not as some kind of dark aura. _Is it affecting them too?_

Kin, all the while, had been moving closer to Yoroi, still playing her entrancing tune. When she was close enough, she produced a kunai.

_SLASH!_

Yoroi fell, his throat cut. He tried to scream but only blood burbled out of his mouth. Hayate moved forward as the medic ninja rushed to the injured boy's side. The jounin coughed and nodded, turning to the arena at large.

"Winner, Tsuchi Kin!" The long haired kunoichi smirked, and twirled her flute again before bowing, as though she had just finished a concert for an admiring audience. She walked back up to the catwalk, black eyes on a certain disguised jounin. He smiled back, and Kin felt elated.

_Yes! I've proved myself to you, Orochimaru-sama! And this is only the beginning!_

Kakashi poofed back in, and Sakura turned to him, anxiety in her eyes.

"Kakashi-sensei, everything okay? I mean… There wasn't anything wrong with Sasuke-kun, right?"

Kakashi gave her a reassuring eye-smile. _Better she doesn't know…_

"Aa, yes. He's fine. Where's Naruto?"

"He's with Hinata," Tenten spoke up quietly, leaning against the railing and looking down at the arena floor nearby. Lee and Gai couldn't contain themselves at hearing this.

"YOSH! Naruto-san is truly youthful, staying at the side of Hinata-san! After such a battle, comforting his opponent! Gai-sensei, I swear to you I shall be JUST AS HONORABLE!"

Gai grinned magnanimously at his beloved student.

"No Lee, you must resolve to be TWICE as honorable and youthful!"

Lee smacked himself in the head.

"OF COURSE! Gai-sensei, what was I thinking? I shall be _twice_ as youthful, and _honorable_ as Naruto-san in my battle, or I shall run one thousand laps around Konoha on my hands!"

"EXCELLENT MY BELOVED STUDENT! LEE!"

Hayate cleared his throat.

"Ahem! The next match is-!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

Hayate became slightly annoyed. "I SAID-!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"TSUME TENTEN AND SUNA NO TEMARI! DOWN HERE! FOR YOUR MATCH!" Hayate bellowed. Gai and Lee were instantly humbled by his fierce glare. Tenten's eyes narrowed as across the arena, the older Sand kunoichi smirked.

"Tenten, good luck! I am SURE you will be victorious!" Gai cheered, teeth gleaming as he gave her a thumbs up. Lee next to her grinned and copied the gesture. Tenten smiled back, and saluted with a jaunty smile of her own.

"Thanks Gai-sensei. Don't worry, I won't let you down!"

_Finally! Time to go to work!_

Thought even as Tenten leapt to the floor below, her brown eyes wandered back, looking for a familiar blond…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Edit 11/08/07:__ I've added some more deleted scenes for Temari's thoughts in this chapter, as part of my efforts to add more Temari/Naruto interaction as well as some Kankuro scenes, all in order to try to make the story flow better. Though in this chapter it's mostly just a few minor additions, all marked with ._

_I know, long delay. Sorry guys, math class and real life are things that must be dealt with first. And again, I must modify the story due to mental fatigue. Chuunin exam conclusion next chapter!_

_I have been experimenting with varying my writing style a little, trying to emphasize inner emotional turmoil. Also, at the suggestion of my beta reader I decided to try having a little moment between Tenten and Naruto that was mainly told from her POV, and since my beta is a girl I took her advice on what Tenten might be going through. Tell me what you think of it._

_Yes, I gave Kin a fairy flute. Bells are just… Lame._

_Ino's still having fun teasing Sakura. That never gets old. _

_On the pairings issue: To be completely honest I just chose 'Naruharem' because that way I didn't have to restrict myself to building Naruto's relationship with any one girl. The focus here though has always been on 'friendships first, anything more later'. So, your favorite pairing may come true, it may not. You'll just have to keep reading, because any progression on the romance front is going to be slow and steady. Rushing it just makes it cheap._

_As always, please review, even if to tell me it sucks. Be honest about what I should improve and what I could focus less/more on. Thank you._

_And now, something I always enjoy showcasing… Omakes!_

By Captain Sarcasm:

"Alright," said Kakashi into his headset. In the clearing below him, a group of Sound Ninjas were making camp for the night. "Everybody confirm that you're in position."

"Check," said Sasuke.

"Roger," said Sakura.

"Believe it," said guess who.

"Good," said Kakashi. "Now, in this mission, the most important factor is the element of surprise, so we'll all need to-"

"Surprise?" shouted Naruto. "That's perfect! I've been taking lessons from a master in surprise entrances! Just watch this, guys!"

"No!"

"Naruto-o-o…"

"Oh boy…"

A cloud of orange smoke appeared in the middle of the camp.

"I am the terror that stabs in the night!" somebody shouted, as the smoke began to clear. "I am the poor casting choice that ruins your favorite show!"

Naruto jumped out of the smoke and flipped in the air, a kunai in either hand.

"I am NARUTO UZUMAKI!"

He landed… in the middle of a small circle of Chunin.

"Oh snap."

"Kakashi-Sensei, should we help him?"

"…give it a minute."

By Yamimaru

Naruto stared at his opponents, sizing them up. There was a fat guy, a guy with three

arms, a red haired chick that looked and sounded like a royal b, and a guy who

appearently had two heads. Raising his left eyebrow and opening his mouth, our hero was

about to make a comment, only to have Kiba beat him to the punch.

"This proves it! Orochimaru is a freak collector! The six armed and two headed guys are

all the evidence needed!" Kiba shouted before laughing.

Tayuya looked at Sakon and Kidoumaru with a grin on her face, wondering just how the dog

boy had managed to piss them off just a few seconds after meeting the two but then realized

that it was probably him calling them freaks. The two had already activated their curse

seals, Ukon had been woken up by the dog boy's loud voice, and they all looked ready to go

into their curse seal level 2 forms. Mean while, Kiba's teammates were looking at him.

"Uh, why are you all looking at me like that?"

The other four members of the team spoke simultaneously, and said the exact same thing:

"Ever hear of a little thing called 'tact' Kiba?"

By RagingDragon04

(Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi were in the gummi ship arriving on one of the worlds)

Naruto came down of the ship really exited as everyone exited lazy like.

"Whats wrong you guys?" asked Naruto.

"Isnt this exciting and cool!" said Naruto as he pointed around.

"Yeah... whatever dope" said Sasuke as he put his arms in his pockets.

"Whats so great Naruto... its just like in Konoha?" asked Sakura as she pointed at the

normal houses and trees.

"Eh?... but what about the cool dinosaurs?" asked Naruto.

"What? What dinosaurs?" asked a confused Sakura as Kakashi ignored them and got out his

book and started reading as he made his way back to the ship.

Naruto followed Kakashi half way... Kakashi entered the ship as Naruto stood outside the

stairs to enter the ship.

Sasuke looked around as he and Sakura didnt see anything.

"You dope, there is no dinosaurs he-" said Sasuke until he saw something behind Sakura...

It was a Jiraiya sized Dinosaur... it was purple... with a green belly... and it was

smiling?...

"Yeah... the one behind you Sakura" said Naruto as Sakura screamed as she yelped and ran

forward... after a good distance she stared at the abomination in front of her.

"It... It...It's... a dinosaur?" said Sakura as she shaked in fear.

"It looks harmless doesn't it teme?" said Naruto as Sasuke stared at the dinosaur.

"Not really, tch... what a lame dragon" said Sasuke as he looked away disgusted.

The dinosaur moved close to Sasuke, as Sasuke raised an eyebrow

"I love you, you love me we're a happy family, with a big great hug and kiss from me to

you wont you say you love me too" sang the horrible dinosaur... as Sasuke twitched as the

dragon hugged him and then kissed him.

Inner Sakura: _**CHA! WTF! I'LL KILL THAT PIECE OF SHT! HOW DARE HE HUG AND KISS SASUKE-KUN!**_

Meanwhile Naruto was laughing as the Dinosaur kissed and hugged Sasuke. When it finished

it slowly started walking towards Sakura.

"Ah! No!" screamed Sakura as she jumped into the ship.

Then he looked at Naruto and started walking again... with a big smile and wide open eyes.

Naruto twitched as the dinosaur looked at him.

Suddenly something tapped on the dinosaurs shoulder and as he turned around he met the

kick on of an Uchiha to the balls. And summoned his key blade... Avenger.

"You never! And I mean n_ever_! Kiss an Uchiha!" said Sasuke as he somehow summoned Naruto's keyblade... in Oblivion mode and started whooping Barney's tail...

_Remember kids… You never kiss and hug an Uchiha… Unless you're looking to die._


	20. Chuunin Exam Prelims, Part 4

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ Holy snap! Over 700 reviews! You guys like me, you really like me!_

… _Okay, that's enough of that. In all seriousness though, thank you everyone who has supported this story, despite the fact that I've had to edit it myself for the most part for lack of a regular beta reader and my own impulsiveness. _

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Blades are not weapons. Blades are only tools. I am the weapon. I am the weapon._

Tenten felt her breath fill her lungs, and exhaled, slowly. She let go of her emotions as she had so many times before.

"Begin!" Coughed Hayate, safely out of the line of fire between the two kunoichi. Tenten struck first, two kunai instantly out of her pouches and airborne, screaming for the blonde Sand kunoichi. Temari merely smirked and seemed to flicker, the kunai striking the stone floor. Tenten blinked.

_What the…?_

"TENTEN! DON'T GIVE UP!" Lee roared.

"SHOW HER THE STRENGTH OF YOUR YOUTH!" Gai-sensei cheered.

Temari's smirk grew a little more.

"Got your own personal fan club of morons to support you, hm?"

Tenten gritted her teeth, but willed herself to calm down.

_Don't let her provoke you…_ Tenten sped up, four kunai launching from her pouches, with four shuriken tailing this salvo. Again, Temari seemed to flicker and the projectiles went off course. Tenten narrowed her eyes as Temari casually stretched a hand back over her shoulder, resting it against the fan on her back.

_Fan… Wind Country… Wind user! Of course!_

Tenten leapt above Temari, eight more kunai raining down on the blonde, which the Sand kunoichi again casually deflected. Her smirk widened as Tenten landed behind her in a crouch.

"Is that _all_ you can do? Throw things at me?" She snorted haughtily. Tenten smirked back, and produced a scroll from her pouch.

"Not quite!" Tenten took to the air again, a salvo of steel again leaving her fingertips, but they were soon filled with a larger, more deadly weapon. Temari scowled as she brought her fan out completely to block the blade of the staff the weapons specialist brought to bear.

_CLANG!_ Tenten pulled back her staff and spun elegantly around, swinging the pole back at Temari. The wind user blocked this with her large fan as well, eyes narrowed.

"So, you do have some fight in you?" Temari observed, continuing to block and dodge Tenten's lightening fast swings and thrusts. Already Temari was analyzing the girl's fighting style. The staff complimented her thin, agile body, bending as she did with every graceful movement. But it was obvious she was wasting more energy in her movements than she had to. Those dramatic flairs she kept adding to every step and swing, like she was performing…

"Plenty!" Tenten smirked, slamming the butt of her pole into the stone floor as Temari blocked once more and swinging herself around, trying to slam her feet into the Sand kunoichi's side. Temari saw the move coming and leapt away, getting some distance between the two. Tenten seemed to break the staff into two and spun around twin escrima sticks, rushing forward.

Temari merely opened her fan, a single purple spot staring as the Sand kunoichi swung her weapon, unleashing a gale-force wind that blasted Tenten off her feet.

"TENTEN!" Cried Lee and Gai.

"Come on Tenten! Don't let your youthful flames be blown out!" Gai bellowed. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at his 'eternal rival', and then shared a look with Asuma. The son of the Third Hokage smirked.

"Pay up. I knew he was going to say it."

Kakashi sighed and handed over some ryo bills. "Serves me right for trying to be an optimist for once…"

Tenten groaned and got to her feet, and felt anger burn inside her as Temari smirked at her, standing across the arena floor, utterly untouched.

"You can't hit me, you can't strike me-Just what _are_ you going to do?" The Sand kunoichi asked mockingly. Tenten took a deep breath, rubbing a bruise on her cheek.

_Damnit, calm down! Focus! There's gotta be a way around her defenses!_

Naruto walked back into the arena from the infirmary, and made his way up the steps. He settled himself onto the railing and grinned as he saw Tenten and Temari's match.

"Go Tenten! Woo hoo! Show her whose boss!"

"YES TENTEN! SHOW HER YOUR SPRING WILL NOT GO OUT OF BLOOM SO EASILY!" Gai yelled, Lee cheering with all his might next to him. Tenten winced, but couldn't hold back a smile.

"Well, looks like your _boyfriend_ came back to cheer you on," Temari sneered. Tenten blushed angrily.

"He-He's not my boyfriend! And just for that, I'm kicking your ass!"

Tenten spun her escrima sticks around before jamming them back into her scroll. She produced another and bit her thumb, before pressing it against the paper as it unraveled. Twirling it around her like a gymnastic's ribbon, the scroll became longer and longer, forcing Tenten to ascend and direct her chakra in a way she'd spent over a year to master-Hovering in mid-air.

"Woah… She can fly? Awesome! I've gotta learn that!" Naruto enthused. Gai and Lee sobbed manly tears at how youthful Tenten was demonstrating herself to be.

Said weapons specialist had finished unraveling her scroll, rotating high in the air. With a smirk she held out her hands, and the scrolls surrounding her like a loose double-helix burst into smoke, releasing kunai and shuriken to her. Hands blurring Tenten began throwing dozens of weapons at Temari, who frowned and unfolded her fan to it's full width. The Sand kunoichi summoned her chakra.

"_Ninpou Fuusajin!"_

Temari waved her fan and unleashed a massive blast of wind, blowing all of Tenten's projectiles away and whipping apart her scroll.

"AUUUGHHHH!" Tenten screamed as the cutting winds slashed across her body, at the same time the air pressure blew her chakra balancing technique away and slammed her into the wall. She slumped, unconscious, and began to fall head first for the arena floor.

"SHIT! TENTEN!" Naruto shouted, but Gai was faster. The Green Beast easily caught his downed student and landed on the arena floor. Temari smirked and looked over at Hayate.

"Well?"

"Winner: Subaku Temari!" Hayate announced, as Gai carried the limp body of his only female student to the infirmary. Lee sobbed, gushing about her valiant efforts, while Naruto just sighed. He looked up and saw Temari smirk at him, before winking.

"What the…?" He muttered, glaring back. _What the hell is up with her…?_

"Wasn't much of a match," Temari shrugged as she headed back up to the observation deck. Her eyes stayed on Naruto, measuring his reactions. She wished she had imagined that spike of killing intent from him, but… He didn't seem to be emitting any now.

_Does that mean he doesn't care as much for the girl with buns, or was that simply…?_ She took her place back near Gaara and Kankuro and leaned against the wall, frowning as she continued to observe Naruto. He was a mystery, that was certain, and there had to be a reason Gaara was so interested in him.

She intended to learn what.

"Poor Tenten! Vanquished in the prime of her youth!" Weeped Lee, holding a fist up in a dramatic pose. Nearby, Ino sweatdropped.

"C'mon Lee, it's not like she's dead or anything!"

"True, Ino-san," sniffled Lee. He thrust his fists into the air, eyes burning with fire.

"I shall make my battle, the finale, one to be remembered for my fallen comrade! OSSU!"

Shikamaru sighed and shook his head. _I wish I could just leave… I won, can't I go now?_

Gai reappeared and grinned.

"Do not worry, my wonderful student! Tenten will make a full recovery!"

Naruto grinned as Lee cheered.

"YES! My youthful comrade is fine! However, I still dedicate the finale to her!"

He grinned and turned to Naruto, giving the blond his traditional 'good guy' thumbs up and smile.

"Naruto-san! After this, I truly hope to be able to fight you!"

"Eh? Why me?" Naruto blinked. He threw his thumb over his shoulder back at Neji, standing impassively on the far side of the catwalk. "Don't' you want to fight geniuses like him and Sasuke?"

"Yes I do, Naruto-san! However, you are very much like me-A genius of hard work!" Lee enthused. "I would very much like to see which of us has gone further!"

Naruto blinked. _A genius… Of hard work?_ _Is that really me? I mean… Sure, I don't have a special bloodline or anything but the Keyblade…_

"Yeah, but… I have the Keyblade," Naruto offered, summoning the weapon in a flash and holding it out. "It's not the Sharingan, sure, but it ain't, you know, _normal…"_

Lee frowned.

"Did you have to earn the Keyblade, Naruto-san? Or was it given to you?" He asked quietly.

Naruto recalled the tests he'd gone through, the battle against the Shadow Fox… And, most importantly, _why_ he'd gotten the Keyblade at all.

_Iruka-sensei…_

A smile came over his whiskered face.

"Yes… I earned this. It wasn't easy, but… Nobody _handed_ me this thing," Naruto explained. Lee beamed.

"Then you are a genius of hard work! So, I hope very much to fight you!"

Gai sobbed manly tears.

"Lee! You truly are in the Springtime of your youth! So valiant and determined! I am so proud to have you as my student!"

Lee sobbed in a manly fashion as well, and hugged his mentor, a backdrop of a sunset appearing.

"GAI-SENSEI!"

Naruto, Ino, Shikamaru and Sakura blinked.

"LEE!"

"Kai! Kai!" Sakura tried to dispel the image. Her eyes widened. "Why won't it dispel?!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI-SENSEI!"

"This looks _so_ wrong," Ino muttered to Sakura. The pink-haired kunoichi nodded, while Naruto just blinked.

"How do they do that sunset thing anyway…?"

"So troublesome…"

"Subaku Gaara, Rock Lee! Please come down for the final match!" Hayate yelled.

Gai pulled away from Lee, and assumed a stern expression. Lee also became serious.

"Lee… Something important before you begin!"

"Yes sensei?" Lee asked, whipping out a notepad and pen.

"Observe! Your opponent. He carries a gourd on his back! It is very unusual."

"Yes it is, Gai-sensei!" Lee furiously jotted down some notes.

"Watch out! It's probably crucial to his fighting technique."

"Yes Gai-sensei!" Lee nodded, writing that down too. Gai frowned.

"Lee, you won't have time to consult your notes in battle! Put that away!"

Lee nodded, and wrote that down too.

"Yes, Gai-sensei!"

Sakura, Naruto, Ino and Shikamaru just stared.

Lee shot one last grin at Naruto and a thumbs up at Sakura, before leaping to the arena floor. Gaara, on the other side of the arena, vanished in a swirl of sand, reappearing before the green-spandex-clad shinobi.

"Hey, you!" Naruto looked up. That puppeteer guy… Kankuro was it? He had made his way over to the other side of the arena and was grinning at him.

"Yeah?"

"Naruto, right? You're a funny guy, being so nice while fighting your girlfriend," the puppet user stated. Naruto frowned, the falseness of Kankuro's smile screaming at his senses.

"She's not my girlfriend…"

"Oh? Then why were you so pissed at that guy mocking her?" He asked, raising and twisting his head to indicate Neji, who was standing alone further along the observation deck for the arena. Naruto scowled.

"Because he's an asshole, that's why!"

Kankuro laughed.

"I like you, kid. You're funny."

"Yeah? Well I don't like _you_ dumbass!"

Kankuro snarled. "You… You little brat!"

He made a fist… Before a smirk came over his painted face.

"Hope you weren't too attached to that guy down there," he gloated. "Because _nobody_ fights Gaara and _lives."_

Sakura's fists tightened as she glared at the Sand ninja. Naruto smirked confidently back.

"Yeah? Don't be too sure, Clown Boy. Lee's a _lot_ tougher than he looks!"

Kankuro growled.

"Hey! Watch your mouth you stupid punk!"

"Go play with your _dolls!"_ Naruto jeered. Kankuro's face turned red.

"Damnit they're not _dolls_, they're _puppets!"_

"Shut up you two! They're starting!" Ino ordered, crossing her arms and leaning against the railing next to Naruto. She frowned and turned her head. Their jounin instructors all seemed to be huddled, discussing something in low voices even as they watched Lee and Gaara face off.

"I am Rock Lee, the Beautiful Green Beast of Konoha! I hope we have a good fight!" The bowl-cut wearing boy enthused. Gaara just grunted. Hayate looked between them, nodded, and backed away.

"Begin!"

Lee charged forward, throwing a fist at Gaara's face. The instant he got within a few feet of the Sand ninja a shield of sand formed, absorbing the blow. Lee, undeterred, performed a roundhouse kick at the side of Gaara's head, this too being blocked by sand. Lee pulled his arms in and spun around, kicking at Gaara's side. The same result-Sand instantly appeared to absorb his attacks.

Leg sweeps, axe kicks, rabbit punches-Nothing got through that impenetrable shield. Finally Gaara counter-attacked, sand lashing out which Lee was forced to avoid. One tendril of grains he back flipped over, another he ducked. Driven back, Lee leapt up and took refuge on top of the large statue of the ram hand seal at one end of the arena, breathing hard.

Kankuro continued to smirk. "See? Nothing doin'. He should just give up."

Naruto growled. "Shut up, jerk! He ain't done yet!"

Sakura frowned.

"Taijutsu's not going to work here… Why doesn't he back off and use ninjutsu?"

Gai sighed. "Because Lee can't use ninjutsu."

Sakura, Ino, and Naruto all stared at Gai.

"Huh?!"

"He's never been able to mold chakra! When he first joined my team, you should have seen how helpless he was. No talent whatsoever." Gai grinned.

"But, he never gave up! So I trained him to make up for it all with taijutsu! To make him the greatest hand to hand fighter ever!"

Gai cleared his throat, getting his student's attention.

"Lee! You have my permission! Take them off!"

Lee frowned.

"But sensei! You said I should only take them off to protect someone I really care for!"

"Yes, I did. We're making an exception! Go ahead, take them off!" Gai grinned. Lee nodded and kneeled, untying the large weights strapped onto his ankles. He stood up and, holding his burden out on either side of himself, dropped them to the ground.

Temari snorted.

"What good will taking _those_ off-?"

_KROOM!_ The two weights hit the ground at the same time, shaking the arena floor and throwing up impressive clouds of dust. When they cleared, it was revealed that the weight packs were buried in meter-wide craters. All eyes were locked onto the sight.

"Holy…!"

Sakura's jaw hung open. _Is… Is _that_ how he was able to beat Sasuke so easily?_

Shikamaru's eye twitched. _Oh man… I _really_ hope I don't have to fight _him…

Kakashi put a hand to his forehead with a sigh. _Gai, you don't do anything half-way do you?_

Lee vanished, and a split second later saw him slamming a fist into Gaara's sand. The redhead's eyes widened as Lee's attacks got faster and faster, the green-clad shinobi becoming a blur around him until finally his foot made contact with Gaara's face.

_WHAM!_ Gaara was thrown back, skidding on the arena floor.

Naruto just grinned, and whooped. Kankuro gaped in disbelief, and looked at his sister. She wore an identical expression.

"I don't believe it… Gaara's been hurt!" Temari gasped. Kankuro shook his head.

"I… I don't believe it!"

"YEAH! Go Fuzzy Brows! Kick Beach Boy's sandy buns!"

"Sandy buns? Are you serious?" Sakura laughed, shaking her head in disbelief. Naruto shrugged and grinned sheepishly.

"Hey, best I could think of on short notice…"

"Oh yeah right! You were probably waiting to use it since you _met_ Gaara!" Ino accused with a smirk. Naruto harrumphed.

Gaara had gotten back up, his sand-protected skin cracking from the force of the blow. He growled, summoning his sand and sending a massive wave at Lee. Lee ran around it, trying to attack from Gaara's side, but the sand wielder redirected his huge weapon, throwing dozens of razor-sharp spikes after his foe.

Lee backflipped away and vanished again, a quick burst of speed making him invisible for the time it took to slam a foot into Gaara's legs, knocking him off his feet.

"_KAIMON!"_ Lee shouted, releasing the first Gate. His power surged, his strength and speed increased by five times, and his arm bandages were already loosened and ready for the next move.

Lee kicked Gaara into the air and blurred above him, throwing his bandages around the wide-eyed Sand genin and wrapping him in a snug cocoon. Trapping Gaara in a bear hug, spinning as fast as he could, Lee dove with his captive headfirst for the arena floor below.

"_OMOTE RENGE!" _Lee bellowed as they impacted, shaking the arena floor and blasting a cloud of debris into the air.

"Holy _shit_!" Naruto crowed, summoning the Keyblade and spinning it around at high speed to deflect the stones bouncing around the arena from Lee's move. "I have _got_ to learn how to do that!"

"Can you see them? Is Lee okay?" Sakura coughed, waving away some dust. The cloud began to clear, the outline of an even bigger crater than the ones Lee's weights had made becoming visible. A single figure walked unsteadily away, coughing slightly.

"Lee! He did it! He won!" Sakura cheered. Gai grinned and gave a thumbs up to his student.

"YOSH! EXCELLENT, MY ADORABLE-!"

Lee's eyes widened as a familiar killing intent washed over him, and he threw himself to the side. His arm was sliced by the edge of a huge sand tendril that would have cut him in two had he not dodged just in time. Cartwheeling out of the way of three more such appendages, Lee skidded to a halt in a crouch and narrowed his eyes.

Gaara emerged from the crater, skin cracked as though covered in ceramic. His eyes were wide, as was his bestial grin.

"Heheheheheheh… Well, is that all? I hope you haven't finished entertaining me...we haven't had enough blood!" He roared, sand shurikens blasted from the sands floating around him. Lee was knocked back, gritting his teeth and holding his side where a shuriken had stuck. He'd used a lot of energy in his last attack… He couldn't do it again like this… Which meant…

_Looks like… I have no choice… I must use _that…

Lee assumed a relaxed stance, and closed his eyes. Gaara grinned, moving in for the kill.

"_KAIMON!"_ As before, a blast of chakra left Lee's body, cracking the stones underneath him and barring the sand from getting closer. His hair stood on end and his eyes went wide, only the whites showing as though his pupils had evaporated from the power his body now emitted.

"Gai… You taught him _that?!"_ Kurenai said in an almost scolding tone. Gai grinned confidently.

"Yes, Kurenai-san! I did!"

Kakashi shook his head in disbelief. _Gai, you are really something else… Teaching a suicidal technique like that to a kid?_

"_Kyūmon!"_ Lee shouted, and another release of energy lit up his aura. He vanished, and a second later so did Gaara. Soon he was being kicked around the arena walls so quickly he was a mere blur.

Lee grit his teeth, the faces of the people he wanted to fight.

_Neji… Sasuke… Naruto! I will NOT be the ONLY ONE TO LOSE!_

"_SEIMON!"_ Lee bellowed, the third Gate opened. He whipped out his bandages again, using it to bounce Gaara about like a yo-yo, a fist punching the Sand ninja with every circuit. Lee whipped around above Gaara and struck him as hard as he could with a fist and kick at the same time, sending him crashing to the ground.

"_URA RENGE!"_

_KABOOM!_ An even bigger crater was dug out, and even more debris thrown up, so much so that the Hokage had to shield his face as pieces of stone and dirt scattered across the chamber. Lee landed in a heap, taking hard, shuddering breaths.

"No way anyone could survive _that!"_ Ino gasped. Kakashi frowned, crossing his arms over his chest.

"So… You taught him the _Hachimon?"_

Gai nodded with a smile.

"Yes."

"You do realize he's in agonizing pain right now… From a technique_ you_ taught him," Kakashi shook his head. Gai nodded again, the smile muted.

"Yes… I know… However! He has triumphed this day!"

Just as he said that, Gaara emerged from the debris, breathing hard, eyes wild. Everyone in the arena felt a nearly-overwhelming killer intent wash over them all.

_Oh no,_ Kankuro thought in horror. _That look in his eyes… The demon!_

The Keyblade had flashed into Naruto's hand as he frowned.

_What the…? This force… It feels so familiar!_

Sakura and Ino were shaking, and even Neji reacted with raised eyebrows.

_What the heck _is_ that guy?!_

"DIE!" Gaara bellowed, sending a wave of sand that slammed Lee off his feet and skidding across the arena floor.

"No! He'll kill him!" Sakura shouted. Lee struggled, trying to crawl away, but Gaara raised a hand and grabbed Lee's foot and arm-The same ones that had delivered the final blow of the _Ura Renge._

"_Sabaku Kyū!"_ Gaara shouted, before closing a fist. "_Sabaku Sōsō!"_

"AUGHH!" Lee screamed as the limbs encased in the sand were crushed. Gaara sent another wave of sand to crush the injured Lee. This wave was blocked by Gai, standing on the arena floor with arms crossed in a block.

"You… Why did… You protect him?" Gaara muttered, not understanding. Gai was grim now, no smile on his face.

"Because he is a precious person to me… Someone I would give my life for."

Gaara stared, confusion warring with bloodlust. _Why? Why? Precious? He failed! He must die… Protect…?_

"Winner, Gaara… What the?!" Hayate gasped. Gai turned around… And smiled sadly.

Lee was back up, in his usual 'good guy' pose, even with his mangled limbs barely supporting him. His smile was dazed, his closed eyes further evidence that he had gone unconscious. Gai shook his head, pride filling his heart.

"Even while out, Lee, you refuse to give in," the Green Beast sighed. He walked over to Lee, gathered him in his arms, and carried him to the infirmary. Gaara watched them go… Then turned his eyes to Naruto, who gulped at the attention the redhead was suddenly giving him.

The redhead stared for a moment more, until turning and walking back to the observation deck.

Hayate stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"That concludes the preliminary matches! Will the finalists please come down?"

A matter of minutes later, and everybody who had won their matches (aside from Sasuke) were on the arena floor. The Hokage stood before them with Ibiki at his side and Hayate on the other.

"A month from today, the final matches will be held," he announced in his gravely voice. Naruto's jaw dropped.

"_WHAT?!_ You mean we can't fight _now?"_ He growled, eyeing the stoic Neji nearby. The Hokage nodded.

"We need a month to get the other Kages here, to observe the matches. As well as daimyos and other dignitaries who will be representing potential clients. Villages with strong ninja will look better to these clients. The Chuunin Exams are just as much about economics as they are prestige, after all," the Hokage finished with a grin. "Now then, Hayate is handing out pieces of paper, with numbers on them. Read your numbers in the order you were given them."

"One," said Kin, here arms crossed over her chest and her flute strapped to her belt.

"Nine," said Shino in his quiet tone.

"Eight," stated Kankuro.

"Three," Temari voiced.

"Four," Gaara murmured.

"Two," sighed Shikamaru.

"Seven," Naruto spoke.

"Six," Neji grunted.

Hayate nodded, writing it all down, before displaying a board.

"These will be your opponents," Hayate announced.

Naruto smirked when he saw he was facing Neji. He turned his head and glared at the stoic prodigy.

_That's right pal… I'm going to kick your ass!_

Shikamaru grimaced.

_Troublesome… I have to fight _two_ matches, both against women?_

Gaara recalled the boy he would be fighting, the Uchiha. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"See you back here in a month. I suggest you don't waste any time," the Hokage advised.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kabuto crouched against the tree trunk, eyes straight ahead. This part of the forest outside Konoha was open for only a few more minutes at best before ANBU patrols crossed it.

_C'mon… C'mon…_

The portal opened, ethereal smoke billowing around it. Kabuto leapt through, his senses filled with darkness and eerie light, blanketing his mind…

He fell to his knees, coughing and applying chakra to calm his heart. He took deep breaths, before looking up. His surroundings were dark, and cold metal. A great chamber with ragged, gothic spires decorating a circle of pillars, like a vast cage. Up and up above him they went until he could no longer see them.

_I am… I am on another world,_ he thought, his inner scientist filled with glee.

Maleficent appeared before him, an eyebrow raised at his admittedly pathetic state. Kabuto got his breathing under control.

"It… Would be easier if I could control the process," he noted. The witch smiled.

"All in good time, my dear… But for now, I need to know what has occurred."

"The Keyblade is genuine," Kabuto began without preamble, slowly standing up. "With it, and the Kyuubi, Uzumaki will easily serve your purposes."

"_Our_ purposes, Kabuto," Maleficent purred. "What else?"

"More than a few of the genin displayed talents beyond what we thought. In particular, the Haruno girl," Kabuto reported. "Her power… It seems much like your own. With the proper training…" The knowing look in her eyes made it unnecessary for him to continue.

"Yes… Ursula should not be the only one with a young servant, after all," she mused. "Continue your mission, Kabuto. And your research. I will add onto what I have already given, as promised."

Kabuto bowed, and smiled secretly. Another reason he preferred to work for Maleficent-The process itself was the reward, and not the end of the journey…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and minor additions (marked with a at the end), as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Sorry for the long time to update, but I passed my final math class, so it's not all bad. MUCH longer, and better chapter than before (I'll have to refine that)._

_Not many notes on this chapter, though I'd like to thank my beta readers Captain Sarcasm, God of Awesome, and Nico Hana. Definitely helped the refinement process._

_Jiraiya meets Naruto next time, so stay tuned!_

_And now, for some omakes:_

By Captain Sarcasm, in honor of the _Transformers_ movie:

"Next fight!" shouted Gekko. "Kankuro of the sand versus Misumi Tsurugi! Contestants, take your places!"

It was hard to read Tsurugi's expression behind his mask and glasses, but Kankuro was just… scarily confident.

"What are you planning, catboy?"

"Oh, just wondering which incredibly over-powered technique I should use to defeat and utterly humiliate you," he said, taking something out of his pocket. "But, since you made fun of my hat, I'm going to use my new trick."

The thing turned out to be a small, blue, portable tape recorder. He set it on the ground, and backed up all the way to the wall.

"…you're going to kill me with a tape deck?"

"Ninja Puppeteer Arts Forbidden Style: Mass Shifting Jutsu!"

The tape deck started to shift and split, the silver features on either side of the main tape holder unfolding to become a pair of arms and legs, as the device transformed into a blocky, humanoid shape. But as it shifted, it also expanded, until it was well over twenty-five feet tall. There was a horrible, six-toned magnetic grinding noise as it changed. A cylindrical weapon folded out onto the thing's right shoulder, and a blue head with a silver mouthplate and a glass visor slid out of the body. It looked town at Tsurugi, its eyepiece glowing red.

"SOUNDWAVE: SUPERIOR," it intoned. "GEININ: INFERIOR!"

"Oh _poopie_," said Tsurugi.

SQUISH!

"…Wow," said Gaara, as the robot scraped its foot on the floor.

"Meatbag Remains: Messy."

By Yamimaru: A cross over with Megaman Zero

Ino looked at the area around them the architecture looked a lot more advanced then

Konoha's, yet the place was crumbling and dilapidated, obviously worn down by war and

time. A long haired blond guy walked out of seemingly nowhere, looked at them and said:

"Who are you, and what the hell are you doing here?"

Ino took one look at him with his very, very long hair, his red, black, white, and gold

armor/clothing, squeed, and glomped him. Zero manged to look at Ino's companions from his new position on the ground.

"Is she like this a lot?" He asked them.

"Only around guys she thinks are really hot." Naruto answered as Shino looked on silently and Anko looked about ready to pry Ino off of the reploid so that she could glomp him.

By Me: Naruto you lucky bastard!

"Well, looks like your boyfriend came back to cheer you on," Temari sneered. Tenten blushed.

"He-He's not my boyfriend!"

"DO NOT LET YOUR BLOOM OF PASSION FALTER, TENTEN!" Encouraged Gai with a grin and trademark ping. He wrapped one beefy arm around the wide-eyed and blushing Naruto and held him up dramatically.

"LET YOUR LOVE INSPIRE YOU TO GREATER HEIGHTS!"

"OSSU! YES TENTEN-SAN, PROVE YOUR LOVE TO NARUTO-SAN!" Lee added.

"SHUT UP!" Tenten shouted, waving her fist.

"Gai… Sensei… I can't… breathe…" Naruto wheezed. Gai let him go apologetically.

"I'm sorry Naruto! I should have been more careful!"

"Man Naruto, you're a regular pimp! All these women after you!" Teased Ino. Naruto's blush grew even brighter… Until he smiled serenely.

"Why Ino, are you interested?" Naruto teased back. Ino smirked, and walked over to him. She leaned forward, eyes dancing with mischief as Naruto gulped.

"What answer do you think you'd like more?" The blonde purred.

"Ino-pig, would you quit acting like such a whore!" Sakura growled. Ino turned back and deathglared her rival.

"Who are you calling a whore, Forehead?!"

"Bitch!"

"Poser!"

The two got into a screaming match, leaving an utterly bewildered Naruto to stare after them.

"Lucky bastard," Kankuro grumbled.

_Until next time!_


	21. Enter the Perverted Hermit

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto hated the hospital. Bad memories seemed to leap out at him everywhere. Glaring nurses, spiteful doctors, pain…

Yeah, pain definitely featured prominently here.

Naruto didn't care though. He ignored the glare from the nurse at the station. He was, after all, on a mission.

"Kakashi-sensei!"

The grey-haired jounin turned around, his lone visible eye looking directly at Naruto.

"Ah, Naruto. Just the person I wanted to see."

Naruto grinned happily. "Kakashi-sensei, I need you to train me. For the finals, I mean."

Kakashi nodded.

"I know. That's why I got someone to handle your training for the month before the finals."

Naruto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. _What the… Someone else?_

"What? Why can't _you_ train me?" The blond's eyes narrowed. "You're going to be training Sasuke, aren't you?!"

Kakashi's body language gave nothing away, but Naruto was sure he was right.

"I can't tell you anything about it," Kakashi replied simply. "Besides, you have needs that I can't really-"

"And what about Sakura-chan? Hm? Have you lined up someone for her too? Someone _else_ to do _your_ job?" Naruto demanded. Kakashi shrugged.

"She will be pursuing her own studies. And lest we forget, Naruto, that I _am_ your instructor _and_ commander. I think it's safe to say I can judge your abilities more accurately than you can."

He gave Naruto an eye smile, which Naruto responded to with a glare.

"Now, now, the instructor I have for you is a much respected teacher-Oh, there he is."

The Keyblade flashed into existence in Naruto's hand and he swung around, his eyes widening as he saw the man Kakashi indicated right behind him.

"YOU! You closet pervert! What the hell do _you_ want?" Naruto growled. Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses with an indignant huff.

"I am _not_ a closet pervert, thank you _very_ much! And you should be honored! If I'm a good enough teacher for Konohamaru-sama, I'm certainly good enough for you!"

"Even though I beat you with my Harem jutsu?" Naruto shot back. Ebisu coughed, looking extremely tense. Kakashi blinked.

"'Harem jutsu'?"

"It's nothing, really! Merely a childish prank, nothing more Kakashi-sempai! But rest assured that in my care-!"

"Oh screw this!" Naruto growled, shaking the Keyblade at Ebisu angrily. "I'm not learning _anything_ from you, thanks a lot! And Kakashi-sensei! Just because some snake freak is after Sasuke's ass, possibly _literally, _doesn't mean you get to neglect the _rest_ of your students!"

Naruto turned and stalked past Kakashi, who put out a hand to try and stop him.

"Naruto, be reasonable!"

"I've got friends to visit," Naruto said flatly, knocking his sensei's hand away and continuing down the hallway. Kakashi sighed, and Ebisu frowned, walking up to stand next to the Copy Ninja.

"Well, _he's_ certainly grateful, isn't he?" The sunglasses wearing ninja sniffed. Kakashi sighed again.

"I suppose I should have considered his previous experiences with teachers," the jounin mused aloud. "Aside from Iruka… No one else has given him true instruction."

"What should I do then, sir?" Ebisu asked. Kakashi frowned under his mask.

"Approach him after he's visited his friends, and offer to train him again. A demonstration of what he can learn from you would work best, I think."

Ebisu nodded and turned to go.

"One more thing, Ebisu-san."

The younger man turned around. "Yes sir?"

Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Closet pervert?"

Ebisu blanched.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_209… 207… 205… 203…_

A flash of killer intent ran over Naruto's senses. His eyes met very familiar brown ones, in an unfamiliar, glaring face.

"Tsume-san," Naruto nodded politely. The blacksmith narrowed his eyes, a fist closing.

He walked down the pale hospital hallway and stopped a meter from the boy. The two stared each other down.

"… You going to visit my daughter?" Tsume asked flatly. Naruto nodded.

"She's my friend," he replied, with as much conviction as he could manage. Tsume grunted, and stalked by, eyes firmly ahead. Naruto frowned, watching him depart over his shoulder. With a shrug, he walked into the hospital room.

"Hey, uh… Who are you?" Naruto blinked. There was a somewhat familiar-looking girl sitting in a hospital bed, with long brown hair framing her face. Naruto blushed as the girl looked up, frowning.

"Naruto? What do you…? Oh." She rolled her eyes, and grabbed her long brown hair in both hands, holding them up into some crude buns. A flash of understanding appeared in the blond boy's eyes.

"Oh! Tenten! Sorry, I didn't recognize you."

Tenten glowered.

"I mean, you looked so pretty so I-No wait, I didn't mean-Not that you're _not_ pretty but-!" Naruto flailed about, finally stopping when Tenten began to laugh.

"It's okay Naruto, I know I wear my hair like that most of the time." She smirked. "It's easier to hide shuriken that way."

Naruto grinned back.

"Heh, cool. "

Tenten smiled happily.

"So! What are you doing here?" _I thought you would still be watching over Hinata…_

Tenten squelched that bitter thought.

"Can't I visit my friend in the hospital? I mean, what if you were on your deathbed?" Naruto asked, with a slightly teasing smile under concerned eyes. Tenten rolled her own.

"I'm _fine._ I didn't hit the wall that hard. The chakra absorbed a lot of the impact."

"So, what's with the hospital get-up?"

"Overprotective father… always wants me fully checked out," Tenten rolled her eyes. Naruto shrugged, and slightly forced a smile on his face.

"Hey… Least he's looking out for you, right?" Tenten's eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Yeah… He is," she said quietly. She cleared her throat.

"So… If you're willing to wait for fifteen minutes, I'll be checked out and I can take you to my shop?"

"Um, I'm not sure that's such a great idea…" Naruto began, but Tenten shot him a disapproving look.

"Naruto, your clothes are a mess, and I got a look at your weapons. Aside from your Keyblade, they're all in _lousy_ condition. You need replacements."

"Er… What about your father?" Naruto asked. Tenten smiled mischievously.

"Just show him your wallet and I think you'll find he'll be pretty agreeable."

Naruto really doubted that, but if he wavered Tenten might wonder why her father hated him, and well…

He didn't want her to hate him too. He nodded and smiled happily.

"Sure! I'll be back. Just have to see a few other friends…"

Naruto stepped out of the room and headed back down the hallway, scanning for the next room. He grinned as he came across a certain one. Naruto stuck his head in the door.

"Hey, Fuzzy Brows! How're you…" He trailed off at the forlorn expression on Lee's face. His right arm and legs were held in thick casts, reclining in a hospital bed.

"Fuzzy Brows, what's the matter?" Naruto asked, and Rock Lee looked up, forcing a smile on his face as he opened his mouth to speak...

Only to be suddenly interrupted as Gai, who had been sitting beside his bed in silent sorrow, sprang to his feet, sobbing loudly.

"MY PRECIOUS STUDENT HAS BEEN STRUCK DOWN IN THE PRIME OF HIS YOUTH BY CRUEL FATE!" Gai cried. Naruto was struck silent, and a little freaked out, by the unexpected reaction.

Finding his voice, Naruto asked "What do you mean?"

"My poor, precious pupil's injuries are of such severity that he can no longer be a shinobi!" Gai answered, tears still flowing down his cheeks.

"WHAT?! Not be a shinobi?" Naruto asked, turning to Rock Lee, who nodded from his place in bed.

"Yes Naruto-kun, due to my injuries, I can... I can..." Rock Lee's voice faltered as he clenched his eyes tight, tears flowing down his face.

Steeling himself, Rock Lee let out a slow breath, saying in barely above a whisper "I can no longer be a shinobi..."

"Fuzzy Brows... I'm... I'm really sorry." Naruto said, looking to the ground, his fists clenched tight.

However, he yelped in surprise as Maito Gai suddenly grabbed him in a tight hug, lifting the blonde Keybearer off the ground as he sobbed "SUCH YOUTH AND HONOUR YOU DISPLAY IN YOUR SORROW FOR A FALLEN COMRADE, NARUTO!"

Naruto tried to wiggle from the hold, gasping for as he squeaked "Gai-sensei... You're... Crushing... Me!"

Gai caught himself, and released Naruto, who fell onto his rear as Gai said "I do apologize Naruto. My grief over poor Lee caused me to momentarily loose control of myself."

"N-no problem." Naruto said, taking deep breathes as Gai returned to his seat beside Rock Lee, who was looking solemnly at his bandaged hands.

The hot springs district of Konoha was luxurious, compliments of the village's fantastic economy. For extremely low prices anyone could relax in the open-air, naturally heated pools and springs.

Like everything in a shinobi village, however, there was a hidden side to the hot spring district's quality. In this case, it was not so much a dark secret as a… Perverted one.

The village's overall success in the business of the shadows would not on its own provide enough capital to create such fantastic springs and bathhouses, no. A fair amount of the funding came from a man who had built his vast personal fortune on bathhouses and his observations therein.

Said man was now chuckling pervertedly, binoculars trained on an open air bath filled with giggling, buxom women, another thing Konoha had in great supply and quality.

"Oh ho ho… Excellent, simply _excellent,"_ he murmured, furiously taking notes.

"Glad to see some things never change," a bemused voice said. Jiraiya smirked, never taking his eyes off his research subjects.

"Well, you appreciate this more than anyone, I believe," the Toad Sage replied. "What do you need, Kakashi?"

The one-eyed jounin shrugged, crouching down next to Jiraiya and watching the women bathe and frolic for a few moments.

"I need to borrow your ship."

Jiraiya frowned.

"Your student?"

Kakashi nodded gravely.

"I have to get him away from Orochimaru… In addition, he needs a lot of training if he's going to be ready for the Chuunin Exam Finals."

"Already made it through, did he?" Jiraiya chuckled. "Not bad, not bad at all…"

Kakashi eye-smiled.

"Well, he _is_ the last Uchiha, after all…"

The silence that followed was uncomfortable for a moment. Kakashi frowned and looked at Jiraiya.

"… I see," Jiraiya said simply. He turned back to his binoculars, a frown on his aged face. Kakashi blinked.

"You thought I-?"

"Yes…"

Kakashi sighed.

"I would train Naruto as well… But considering that Orochimaru has made Sasuke his main target… And you know how much damage he could do with the Sharingan."

Jiraiya nodded, humming thoughtfully.

"I suggest Traverse Town… Little, out of the way world. Plenty of low-level Heartless to use for training purposes. Also, many warriors and shinobi from other places he can learn from."

Kakashi nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. The coordinates are in the ship's computer," the Sannin went on. He paused. "Have you arranged for someone to train your other students?"

"One has not made it to the finals, however I've lined up some scrolls and jutsus for her to learn from. The other… I've gotten one of the best jounin instructors in the village for him." Kakashi shrugged. "Honestly, he only needs help with his chakra control and basic tactics…"

"What about his weapon… And tenant?" Jiraiya asked flatly. "Your tutor able to handle teaching him about that?"

"Of course not," Kakashi sighed. "I will, of course, instruct him myself later. But Orochimaru has business in this village… And that business includes Sasuke. I would rather keep him out of his reach."

"Unless, of course, Orochimaru has aligned with the Heartless," Jiraiya grunted. "Considering the Keyblade's bearer was chosen here…"

"I know, I know… But, Sasuke needs to get out, to meet people who don't know anything about Uchihas or massacres. He needs to be taught that power is for protecting others, not vengeance."

"You really think you can teach him that?"

"I have to try…"

Jiraiya nodded.

"Allright… Just be sure to set my ship to come back here on auto-pilot when you arrive. A man named Cid can get you another ship with which to return. Just tell him to put it on my tab," the Sannin instructed. Kakashi nodded.

"Thank you, Jiraiya-sama." Kakashi said gratefully, turning to depart.

"You know Kakashi, you never were good with people."

The jounin turned quickly to face the white-haired Sannin standing behind him. Jiraiya's arms were crossed over his chest, a smirk playing over his face.

"What do you mean?" Kakashi asked.

"You don't just go up to a kid whose had Naruto's life, say "Hey kid, here's your new sensei!", and expect him to go along with it. Especially if that sensei is a man like Ebisu," Jiraiya explained.

"Well, what do you plan to do Jiraiya-sama?" Kakashi asked.

The Toad Sage's smirk grew as he said, "Let me worry about that, Kakashi. You go and train the Uchiha brat."

Kakashi nodded.

"I'm nearly out of range. See you in a month." The clone disappeared in a burst of smoke. Jiraiya stood smirking at the spot the "Copy-Cat Nin" had just vacated.

'But first...To the Hot Springs!' Jiraiya thought, a lecherous smirk crossing his face as he too disappeared in a burst of smoke.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto walked down the streets of Konoha, lost in thought over what Rock Lee and Maito Gai had said. When Tenten had learned, she decided to stay with her teammate and sensei.

Naruto didn't argue, and offered to come by the store later on. Tenten had smiled and agreed, so Naruto left the three alone, hoping Tenten could do something for the two distraught green-clad nin.

However, as he walked past the Hot Springs, he was dragged out of his thoughts by a familiar voice crying "Hey brat!"

Naruto turned to the source of the voice. Frowning, he walked up to a fence and climbed up to the top of it. He then gaped at Ebisu, as he saw the man was literally standing on water. The sunglasses-wearing ninja was on the surface of an open-air hot spring pool.

"How are you doing that?" Naruto asked, and the Ebisu smirked as he said "I'll be more than happy to teach you, brat. Just accept me as your sensei for the month."

Naruto ignored the insults, more interested in learning from the teacher, and nodded as he said "All right Closet Pervert! If you teach me to walk on water, I'll accept you as my sensei."

Ebisu nodded in agreement and casually strolled over to Naruto across the hot water, who faced him, smiling eagerly. Stepping onto dry land, Ebisu readjusted his sunglasses and looked down on Naruto, who watched him expectantly.

"Now, I understand you've already mastered the tree-walking skill, am I right?" Ebisu asked, and Naruto nodded.

"Well, this will be more difficult that that. While you merely had to put a set amount of chakra into your feet to walk up trees, to walk on water you have to constantly expel a set amount of chakra from your feet to keep you from sinking. This skill will not only allow you to walk upon water, but also teach you to properly control the amount of chakra you release at any given time." Ebisu explained, and Naruto nodded in acknowledgement.

"Now, I want you to start working on expelling the chakra from your feet and walking across that hot spring." Ebisu said, and Naruto looked at him and asked "Why the hot spring?"

"Because not wanting to fall into the hot water will motivate you to learn it faster." Ebisu answered, and Naruto nodded, turning to face the hot spring, already channeling chakra into his feet.

_I'll show you, you stuck up closet perv!_

He took a step out onto the water… And immediately fell straight in. _Splash!_

"YEEEEOOOOW! HOT! HOT! HOT!"

Ebisu sighed as the blond frantically splashed his way out of the pool, face as red as a cooked lobster's. Naruto scowled, got back to his feet, and recharged his feet with chakra.

"Again!"

Step. _Splash!_

"YEEEOOOOOOOWWWW! HOT! HOT!"

"You know, you _could_ use your Keyblade," Ebisu suggested mildly to the hard-breathing Naruto. The blond growled.

"Screw you! I don't need it for _this!"_

Ebisu's forehead wrinkled at this. _Odd… Kakashi-sempai told me his chakra control was much better with the Keyblade. So why isn't he using it?_

Recharge. Step. _Splash!_

"GYEEEAAHHHH! OWWWW!"

Ebisu's frown continued to grow, even as Naruto gradually began to get the hang of the exercise.

_Maybe Konohamaru-sama's respect for you is not unfounded, Naruto… You refuse to use the Keyblade even though it would make things easier for you…_

"I… I think I'm getting it! I think I-!"

_SPLASH!_

"SHIT! OW! OW! GOD DAMNIT, OWWWWW!"

A small smile emerged on the jounin's face.

_You have great determination, Naruto… I see now what my student sees in you… Though you could learn some cleaner language…_

"Gah… Hey!" Naruto narrowed his eyes. "That guy!"

Ebisu turned his gaze and frowned. An old man in outrageous garb was peering through the fence of the woman's side of the baths. The jounin smirked.

"HEY! YOU! OLD MAN! HOW DARE YOU ACT IN SUCH A WAY!" He shouted, leaping forward to seize the miscreant by the collar.

Said old man just rolled his eyes. "_Kuchiyose no jutsu!"_

A poof of smoke heralded the appearance of a huge, orange and blue toad. Ebisu gawked, the man's face finally coming into view.

_No! It's-!_

"WAAAUUUGGGHHHH!"

_WHAM!_ The toad's tongue had caught him like a fly and slammed him into the pavement. Naruto, watching from a distance, gaped in disbelief.

"Woah… How the hell did you do that? That was so cool!" The blond enthused. The wild-haired old man grinned.

_Well, how's this for convenience?_ Jiraiya thought. _I don't have to track him down after all!_

"Uzumaki Naruto, right?" He prompted. Naruto grinned.

"That's me! Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!"

The Sannin rolled his eyes.

_Yeah, he's _his_ son all right…_

"Anyway, you kind of… took out my instructor. My trainer, for the Chuunin finals," Naruto said, looking at Ebisu with a snort. "Not a big loss…"

"Hey, everyone's gotta learn water walking, right?" Jiraiya suggested. Naruto snorted.

"Yeah, sure… That's what _I_ learn…My _real_ teacher in the meantime teaches my teammate some cool jutsus!"

"Sounds rough, kid," Jiraiya shook his head. He snapped his fingers, as though the idea just came to him.

"Tell you what… Since I knocked out your teacher, why don't I train you?"

Naruto frowned.

"Huh? You?"

"You have heard of me, right?"

Naruto frowned, and scrutinized Jiraiya. The Toad Sannin smiled and puffed himself up proudly.

"… Are you a famous actor?" The blond asked. Jiraiya faced faulted hard enough to crack the pavement.

"NO!" Jiraiya leapt to the top of his toad, and struck a dramatic pose.

"I am a lover of women! A master of ninja arts obscure and powerful, subtle and magnificent! I am Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin!"

Naruto blinked. Jiraiya held his pose for a few extra moments, sweat drops decorating his head.

"Um…Who?"

Jiraiya groaned.

_Well, he _is_ Kakashi's student…_

"I write this series!" He declared, holding up a copy of _Icha Icha Paradise._ Naruto made a face.

"What?! _You_ write those books?! You _pervert!"_

"Pervert? I am _insulted! _I'm no mere pervert!" Jiraiya huffed, deeply offended. Naruto glared.

"Oh? If you're not a pervert, then what are you?" He growled. Jiraiya smirked confidently.

"I'm a _super_ pervert!"

Naruto gawked. _He actually _admits_ it?!_

"Of course, if you don't _want_ to be trained by a _legendary_ ninja," Jiraiya spoke, rubbing his nails against his tunic with a smile. Naruto scowled.

"I'm not even convinced you're _sane_, old man! Are you sure you didn't wander out of the retirement home to peek on girls?"

Jiraiya twitched. _Retirement home?! Why that little…!_

"Fine, you need more proof?" Jiraiya smirked. "Try to take me down with your Keyblade."

Naruto gaped.

"What… What are you talking about, Old Perv?!"

"Oh c'mon kid. Your chakra signature, not to mention your _magic_ signature, practically screams 'Keybearer'. You've got one of the most powerful demons in existence sealed inside you, and a weapon that can cause entire _worlds_ to collapse in on themselves." Jiraiya shook his head, dismissing his toad with a wave of his hand and walking up to the frozen Naruto.

"How… How do you know about…?"

"Legendary Sannin, kid," Jiraiya smirked. He sighed. "That thing's going to try to take you over through your Keyblade."

"I… It can't take me over if I don't use its chakra," Naruto defended himself shakily. Jiraiya frowned.

"It has offered you power though, hasn't it?"

Naruto's silence was answer enough. The Keybearer looked up, eyes that seemed too serious, too mature for the young face they were in. Jiraiya mentally sighed. He recognized the expression all too well.

"It's going to keep trying to get at you… No matter how strong your will is, it's got a few thousand years of experience in dealing with humans. And it will win…"

"Then tell me how to stop that from happening," Naruto stated. His eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't be telling me this if there wasn't some way to control it!"

Jiraiya became extremely grim.

"It's not going to be easy, kid…It might end up killing you."

"And if I don't learn how to control it I'll end up destroying the universe. Gee, tough choice," Naruto replied sarcastically. Jiraiya snorted with a smirk.

"Not the first choice of a lot of other kids your age, you know."

"Well, screw 'em!" Naruto grinned. "Other kids my age aren't going to be Hokage some day!"

Jiraiya shook his head in bemusement. _Well, least he'll be interesting…_

"So, what can you train me in?" Naruto asked eagerly. "How to blow stuff up by hitting them with my Keyblade?"

"As I recall you already know how to do that," Jiraiya noted wryly. Naruto's grin grew wider.

"Yeah… But you can never have enough explosions, right?"

_Yep… Definitely interesting…_ Jiraiya said to himself.

Unknown to both ninja, a small mage's glowing eyes were firmly locked on them both. A frown was on his mostly expressionless face.

"_Shunshin no Jutsu,"_ he muttered, vanishing with a poof of smoke. Jiraiya's gaze turned, his senses alerting him to the energy signature… _Not_ of chakra. Naruto's Keyblade flashed into existence as _something_ tugged at his awareness.

"What the heck was that?"

Jiraiya grinned.

"Looks like I found our first lesson."

"I still have to learn water walking…"

The Sannin rolled his eyes.

"Second lesson then."

- - - - - - - - -

"Are you sure you don't need anything Ino? I could get you ice cream if you want, the kind you like?"

Ino's grateful smile to her mother was getting a little strained. "I'm _fine_ Mom, really! I just want some time to myself, to be honest."

Yamanaka Yuki smiled at her daughter and shook her head. "I'm sorry honey. I'm just… Well…"

"It's okay Mom… I know. It was rough for me too," Ino replied quietly. Yuki gave her daughter one last hug, before turning and walking out the door. Alone at last, the blonde sighed and flopped down on her bed, letting her staff drop to the floor.

"Ino!"

"WAH!" Ino screeched, tumbling off her bed and scrambling for her discarded staff. With ninja speed she got a grip and swung it at full speed at the invader.

_CRACK!_ The staff was stopped with a single, yellow gloved finger. Ino blinked.

"You okay? Your mouth is really wide," Vivi asked. The blonde closed her mouth, then opened it again.

"How the heck did you do that?!"

"Well, that _was_ what I was going to teach you later, but there's something bigger going on here," he said. Ino blinked.

"Such as…?"

"Your friend, the blond one, with the whiskers? He's using magic."

Ino blinked.

"You mean Naruto? What? I use chakra, _he_ uses chakra…"

Vivi shook his head.

"No, _not_ chakra. Magic. There's a big difference, trust me. It seems to be from that key-shaped weapon of his."

"His Keyblade? Sure, it's weird but-" Vivi frantically shook his head.

"No, no it's different from _anything_ on your world."

Ino blinked again.

"_My_ world? Then… It's from your world?"

"It's not from _my_ world either," Vivi stated.

"Then what world is it from? I mean, how do you _know?"_ Ino asked.

"It's simple. Just as you have chakra senses, the capability to sense chakra energy, I can sense magical energy. My senses are developed enough for me to actually _see_ the energies. And that weapon's got so much magical energy it nearly blinded me," Vivi stated.

"You're kidding… _Naruto's_ got something like that?" Ino's eyes bugged out. Vivi nodded. The blonde shrugged.

"Well, he's certainly _surprisingly,"_ Ino said thoughtfully. A smile began to grow on her face, alongside a plan in her head. "Tell me Vivi-sensei… Does this mean Naruto might be able to use magic?"

Vivi shrugged. "Well, not everyone who has a magical item can actually use it but-"

"Then we should find out, right?" Ino said eagerly. Vivi frowned.

"Well, I suppose-"

"Then c'mon! Let's go! We can contribute to his training against that Hyuuga hottie!"

"Hyuuga hottie?" Vivi asked. "WAUGH!"

Ino grabbed Vivi and dragged him out the window as she jumped to the rooftops.

"Wait a minute! I-I-I can't-!"

"Just turn invisible!"

"But if people see you-?"

"Would you just relax? God, you're so uptight!"

Vivi was painfully reminded of one of numerous lectures Zidane gave him on how to handle women. He suddenly wished he'd paid more attention…

- - - - - - - - - -

Even to someone as cynical and world-weary as Kakashi, he could appreciate the beauty of Traverse Town's world from orbit. The chaotic, swirling energies of Interspace had given way to white clouds and vast oceans. The jounin looked over to his unconscious passenger, and smirked.

_If I got the force right,_ Kakashi thought, as he raised the ship's shields and headed for the surface, the friction of entry making the outer hull of the ship glow with heat, _he should be waking up right about…_

"Ugh…"

Sasuke blinked blearily, his vision slowly coming into focus.

_Am I still dreaming…?_ When he slept he usually saw the faces of his parents, sometimes their murderer, _that man…_ But here, he saw a wide open land far below him.

"Good, you're awake." Sasuke turned his head and blinked, finally taking in the rest of his surroundings. Kakashi sat in a strangely shaped chair (identical to one he himself was strapped into), manipulating some elaborate-looking controls. He frowned.

"Where are we?"

"The ship _Tsunade's Bosom,"_ Kakashi replied. Sasuke blinked.

"Ship? _Tsunade's Bosom,"_ he repeated incredulously. Kakashi chuckled.

"An interesting name, befitting its owner."

"But… What kind of ship…?" Sasuke trailed off as the clouds parted and he saw the ground in more detail.

"There are more things in heaven and earth than has been dreamt in your philosophy, Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi observed mildly. Sasuke blinked again.

"What…?"

Kakashi shrugged. "Let's just say a friend lent me a means of bringing you someplace you'll get training in."

Traverse Town soon came into view, and Kakashi locked onto the landing beacon. With practiced ease he brought the vessel into a docking bay, Sasuke's Sharingan eyes spinning as he tried to take in every incredible detail. The Copy Ninja smiled at the attractive woman waiting outside the vessel. She wore a pink, embroidered dress, brown boots, and metallic bracelets. Her long brown hair was in a loose braid that went down to her waist, bangs hanging over bright green eyes and an angelic face. Kakashi opened the cockpit canopy and leapt out in front of the young woman, bowing respectfully.

"Aerith Gainsborough, it's a pleasure to see you again," the Copy Ninja greeted. Aerith laughed.

"It's nice to see you again too, Kakashi!" She said happily. "How are you?"

"Not bad."

"What brings you here? Another mission? The last one was a while ago," Aerith noted, crossing her arms under her breasts. Sasuke had come out of the ship by this point, his usual indifferent expression on his face despite the strangeness of the situation. Aerith saw him and smiled in a friendly way.

"Oh, hello. I'm Aerith Gainsborough, who are you?"

"… Uchiha Sasuke," he grunted. Aerith walked forward and wrapped Sasuke up in a hug. The Uchiha's eyes widened, and his cheeks burned red. Kakashi just eye-smiled.

"Shy type, huh?" Aerith asked, still smiling in that gentle fashion. "Mmm… Here for training with Leon?"

"As well as myself," Kakashi replied.

"Well, come to the house! He'll be back soon," Aerith nodded. She let Sasuke go, turning and walking through the docking bay door. Kakashi just kept smirking, his student's deathglare making his smile grow.

"Where the hell have you taken me?" Sasuke demanded with gritted teeth. Kakashi shook his head.

"You'll see," he chuckled. Kakashi then shot Sasuke a look. "You know, there are few men in the world who wouldn't have enjoyed that…"

"And by that you're implying… What?" Sasuke ground out. Kakashi eye smiled.

"Nothing Sasuke… Nothing at all…"

_That's it, Kakashi's next on my list. Right after Itachi… And Naruto… _Sasuke thought furiously.

Kakashi rolled his visible eye. _God, I hope they can straighten him out, even a little…_

- - - - - - - - - - -

Hinata walked out of the Hyuuga compound, her eyes straight ahead. She'd resolutely ignored her father's cold looks and avoided her little sister.

She was a kunoichi on a mission.

"Hinata."

"Ack!" The girl jumped, and activated her Byakugan. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh… I-It's you, Kurenai-sensei," she said quietly. The genjutsu mistress smiled encouragingly at her student.

"How are you?"

"Um… I'm all right, sensei. I'm just, ah… Um…" She poked her fingers together nervously. Kurenai raised an eyebrow, still smiling. Hinata coughed.

"I'm, er… H-How are you?"

"Well. I'm here to tell your father about your performance in the chuunin exams," Kurenai said. Hinata looked down. Kurenai narrowed her eyes, anger at the stubborn bastard in that cold house welling up in her heart.

"I take it he hasn't talked to you about it," she said flatly. Hinata nodded shyly. Kurenai crossed her arms under her breasts and sighed.

"Well, I'm going to talk to him anyway. Have a nice day." Hinata smiled and nodded. She turned away and walked away. Kurenai's frown deepened… before a sly smile emerged on her face.

"You know… You could always see Naruto. I'm sure he could use some help training for the Chuunin Exam finals."

Hinata spun around on her heel, blushing brightly and opening her mouth. Kurenai held up a hand to forestall the oncoming stuttered refusal.

"Just… _Think_ about it," Kurenai raised her eyebrows meaningfully. Hinata blushed heavily, managing a nod, before turning around and walking away. The jounin smirked, whistling a cheerful tune as she strolled into the Hyuuga compound.

Hyuuga Hanabi saw her older sister's sensei enter the compound, looking particularly smug. The young girl grinned evilly, leaning slightly out of the window.

"Hanabi, why are you smiling?" Hiashi asked imperiously.

"No reason, Father. No reason," Hanabi giggled.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Evil Hanabi is always fun. As well as evil Kurenai. And evil Kakashi. Aw hell, it's just fun for plenty of characters to be pure evil. _

_A Smartass Naruto is also fun. And Jiraiya makes his training debut. _

_Aerith hugging Sasuke. Well, she's Aerith, so she'll be okay. She can kick his ass. He obviously doesn't know this… Yet._

_Well, how _else_ could they have computers and still rely on 16__th__ century weapons technology? Reverse engineered alien spaceship computers. Makes sense to me…_

_Pretty much just a fun chapter to set up most of the next part of the story arc. Sakura's role in this arc will be revealed next chapter. It will hopefully be a surprise… But I have a feeling it won't be._

_Oh well, it should kick ass._

_I think I say 'kick ass' too much…_

_As always, please be honest in your reviews. I can't improve this story without honest input. Now, time for the reason most of you are still reading._

By Reform Joms: Limit: Show Time!

"These are not Heartless..." Naruto muttered, as he was surrounded by red and white demons wielding large blood-red scythes. Naruto, meanwhile, only held the Keyblade on one hand, and a kunai on the other, but he knew that using those would only go so far, since the demons' numbers were so great. And he was trapped between a ledge and the demons.

Naruto Gummi ship had crash landed in this strange world. Unfortunately, the Keyblade didn't sense any Heartless in this world; he can see why that's the case.

The demons slowly ambled towards him. All hopes seemed lost as Naruto prepared to take his final stand. But his ears twitched at a faint sound in the distance. It sounded like a constant purring noise. But the sound grew louder, turning into a loud constant roar. Naruto tensed.

Then, something came from behind him from the ledge. And a motorcycle came roaring over him, and crashed into the demon horde.

"WHOHO!" The voice belonged to the man riding the motorcycle. He had silver hair, and wore a long red leather coat. On one of his hands he held a massive sword with a skull-like design on the hilt.

Making his decision, Naruto quickly followed the charge. He swung his Keyblade to one demon, then quickly kicked another. He then jumped on another and jumped high up into the air. The demons quickly followed to as they jumped. While in mid-air, Naruto sliced one demon in half, kicked another. He then did a mid-air spin, beating down several that came at him. Then, the demons disappeared in a barrage of silver bullets. Naruto stared at the scene as he looked at the man who held one black pistol, and one white pistol.

Then Naruto came free-falling. But before he even hit the ground, he landed neatly on the motorcycle, sitting behind the man.

The motorcycle skidded to a stop some distance away. The demons had stopped at the sudden arrival.

Naruto had one of the biggest grins on his face as the silver-haired man turned to him with a grin that matched his. They stared at each other, a excited fire in their eyes. Adrenalin pumped in their veins as the demons slowly recovered.

"Naruto." Naruto said.

"Dante." Dante said.

With the introductions done, they faced the demon horde, who had began to charage once again. Their grins never left their faces as they faced the demons again. Dante held Rebellion on his right hand, while Naruto had the Keyblade on his Left.

Then, at the same time, they both spoke one thing:

"Show Time." And the motorcycle roared into life and charged into the demon army.

By The Violent Tomboy: Kankuro vs. Misumi Tsurugi

The puppet master smirked as he faced his opponent. The wrapped bundle on Kankuro's back was rather small, barely over a foot tall. He grabbed it, let the bandages fly off...

"Behold my ultimate weapon!"

"Mr. Kankuro, I don't think I'll ever be a real boy this way," Pinnocio said meekly, chakra strings attaching his wooden body to Kankuro's fingers.

"Shut up!" Kankuro snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you being a real boy is overrated?"

By Reform Joms: Was it something I said?

(WARNING: MAJOR SUGGESTIVE AND SEXUAL THEMES AND HEAVY USE OF LANGUAGE. NOT FOR MINORS!)

(WARNING: Very different from what actually happened. But that just adds to the fun.)

"N-Naruto-kun, a-are you a-alright?" Hinata asked Naruto when they met up on the way to the Chuunin Exams Prelims, having just finished the Forest of Death.

"YEAH!" Naruto shouted, "But we ran into a little problem along the way though."

"Pr-problem?" Hinata said, worried.

"Yeah! We ran into that creepy Grass-nin with the freaky tongue." Naruto began. "At first, Sasuke got his sacked by the dude/dudette, and swallowed his scroll. But I came in, after playing with a brown snake with my Keyblade."

Hinata just nodded, slightly scared for Naruto. She blushed slightly at Naruto's language.

"And then, the guy was guy revealed to be a guy named Orochimaru. He then busted out his big, purple, snake."

"B-big...p-purple...snake?" Hinata asked, blushing deeper.

"Yeah! He then swung it. Whoa, the thing was huge, like an overgrown salami on steroids! Then I countered by swinging my own Keyblade." Naruto made a few gestures with his hands, by they came out looking wrong, so Hinata blushed deeper. "Then, I got done in a tree! It hurt like hell, really. Then, Orochimaru took out a big, ol' sword! I swear, the thing was probably vibratin' with power, ya know?"

At this, all the blood rushed to Hinata's head.

"Then, me and Sasuke got beat by Orochimaru's purple snake, and his sword. Then we slept together." Hinata blushed turned to a new shade of tomato.

"So, Sakura took good care of us. Then the Sound-nins came. They nearly had Sakura beat. I mean, the Sound Kunoichi was on top of Sakura, pulling her hair, screaming something at the top of her lungs or something, I can't really remember. Then Lee came and nearly beat them to death with his mad beast. He was thrashing like one too!" Hinata blushed deeper. "But the guy with the bandages kicked him good. Then, Sakura was on the dude with the wind thingy on his hands. She looked like she was biting onto something between the guy's legs, and the guy was groaning and hitting her on the head, while Sakura was making noises. Then Ino, Chouji, and Skiamaru came-"

"Stop! Stop! No more!" Hinata shouted before she fainted because of a massive fountain of nose-blood.

Naruto just looked at her with a weird look, "What? Was it something I said?"


	22. The Telling of Tales

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto sighed, walking down the village street, arms back behind his head. He stretched them up, smiling at the warm afternoon sun.

"Oh yeah… Training! From some guy who knows what he's doing! I think…"

Naruto looked thoughtful. Sure, Jiraiya knew a lot about the Keyblade and everything, but still, it didn't mean he would be the best teacher. Heck, he hadn't even told him what they'd work on after they finished water walking!

_True, he got that seal off of me, but still,_ he mused, continuing to walk and paying little attention to where he was going.

"_Oof!"_ He grunted, as he felt himself bump into someone. He opened his eyes and gaped at the blushing Hyuuga Hinata before him.

"Oh, sorry Hinata-chan! Um, guess we just keep running into eachother, huh?" Naruto offered as apology. Hinata smiled shyly and nodded.

"Y-Yes… Um… N-Naruto-kun… I-I was wondering…"

Naruto nodded and smiled encouragingly. Hinata's blush grew a bit more, but she resolved herself to be strong.

"I-I was w-wondering if you'd like to tr-train with me?"

"Before the finals? Um, I'm not sure Hinata-chan, I already have a trainer," Naruto said. Hinata looked downcast.

"Oh…"

"But, you can always come with me to see him tomorrow, to ask. I mean, I don't even know what he's planning on teaching me… And I know I'm going to need practice fighting someone with the Byakugan," Naruto went on. Hinata blushed and poked her fingers together.

"Ah… Um… W-Well, I'm not… Not as good as Neji-"

"Hinata… You haven't forgotten what happened in our fight, right?" Naruto asked, giving her a wry smile. Hinata blushed and shook her head.

"N-No…"

"Then it's settled! I mean, I don't think my trainer will refuse me having a partner, right?" The blond grinned. Hinata shook her head and her smile grew just a bit more.

_Naruto-kun… _

A pair of pale arms wrapped around Naruto's neck, and Ino's smiling face appeared over his shoulder. Naruto yelped as the blonde kunoichi laughed.

"Do you think he'd refuse you _two_ partners, Naruto?" She asked in a teasing tone. Naruto blushed, and Hinata narrowed her eyes.

_That… That hussy! Isn't chasing Sasuke enough for her?_ Hinata's usually dormant angry side growled in her head.

"Um, well, why not Ino-chan?" Naruto grinned, carefully ducking out of Ino's embrace and standing back up at a safe distance-Closer, Hinata happily noted, to herself.

The blond then frowned.

"Why would you want to train with me anyway?" He asked. Ino grinned.

"Why don't we talk about that somewhere more private?"

_What is it with girls looking like cats when they want something?_ Naruto thought in fear, and Ino's smile did indeed look almost feline.

Hinata noted this too, and began to feel a lot more anxious…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Traverse Town was unlike any city Sasuke had ever seen. The moment he, Aerith, and Kakashi had walked out the docking bay door, that fact had become readily apparent.

Under orange streetlamps and neon light signs spelling out words and symbols he couldn't decipher, dozens of people of all shapes and sizes walked, shopped, sold, and talked. And not just people. Sasuke couldn't help but stare at a tall, grey-skinned, rat like being in armor. The rat-person looked at him, cocking it's head, and Sasuke resumed scanning the crowd, his eyes growing wider and wider at the people he, Kakashi, and Aerith passed.

"… This part of the market is off the main courtyard, it's always busy... Oh, hello Strago! Relm! They're artists, and excellent magic users… There's O'aka's shop, he has some interesting items and such… Hello Katsuo! No, sorry, no curry tonight, thank you!" The brown-haired woman cheerfully greeted and spoke to the people she passed.

"You've had a population boom since the last time I was here," Kakashi noted. Aerith nodded, her back to Sasuke as they followed her, but the Uchiha imagined she probably wore a frown.

"Yes… And increased Heartless activity," she replied. Sasuke frowned.

"What are Heartless?"

Abruptly, the sounds in the market near them were muted, and Sasuke was very aware of numerous eyes on him. Aerith coughed, and stepped backwards. She put a hand on his shoulder and before he could protest pushed him swiftly through the crowd, which parted easily for them. Kakashi followed behind at a sedate pace, looking almost amused when, in an empty alley Aerith turned around and deathglared him.

"You haven't _told him?!"_

"I _was_ going to," Kakashi defended himself. Sasuke glowered, his pale cheeks slightly red from his close contact with Aerith.

"What are Heartless? Tell me already!" He demanded. Aerith bit her lip, before taking a deep breath.

"According to legend, there are worlds. Countless worlds throughout the universe. Ours is but one among many."

Sasuke grunted, which Aerith took as assent. Kakashi appreciated the fact Aerith didn't imply that they were on any other world but Konoha's-It would have made things more complicated than they had to be.

"Well, once upon a _long_ time ago, the worlds were all connected. We don't know who they were, but some kind of civilization could travel between universes. For a long time they thrived, a great empire… But one day, they vanished, and the connections were closed." Aerith sighed.

"Until the Heartless came. They're… They _used_ to be people, but through the Heartless or their own inner demons, they lost their hearts… And became monsters. Now, they travel between worlds, search more hearts to plunge into darkness. To add to their number."

Sasuke looked absolutely incredulous. Aerith shook her head, and turned to walk down the alley.

"Kakashi, I think he should see for himself," she said. Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed, but he nodded and gestured for Sasuke to walk alongside him. Sasuke did so, almost looking like he was sulking.

"You brought me here for some fairy tale?" The Uchiha grumbled to his teacher. Kakashi said nothing until they came into an even smaller alley. A small aqueduct flowed on one side, from one grated opening to another. Boxing them in on the other side was a building with architecture Sasuke more readily recognized. Curved, brightly colored, with paper lanterns hanging above him.

Aerith muttered "_Enlarge"_ under her breath, and with a flash of light an ornate, metal staff appeared in her hands. She got into a fighting position, Kakashi doing the same, and it was then Sasuke felt it.

_Cold… Why does it feel so cold?_

Purple and black portals appeared, and out of them flew yellow-clothed black blobs with glowing yellow eyes. Below his feet, inky spots moved, rising up around him as though they were being inflated. Sasuke felt shock as the creatures, twitching furiously as they surrounded the trio, continued to grow in number.

"_HOLY!"_ Aerith shouted, and with a blast of white light a score of the creatures were vaporized. Kakashi formed hand seals, his chakra molded perfectly as the airborne Heartless swarmed towards him.

"_Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"_ From the flowing water a small water dragon appeared, tearing through the Heartless with ease. Sasuke leapt to the roof edge and threw kunai at Heartless that followed.

_What the…?_ They struck his targets perfectly, but the Heartless hadn't stopped. They didn't even seem to notice!

"_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"_ Sasuke spat fire balls at his pursuers, who evaded the shots with ease. Sasuke was horrified to discover, as he leaped up even higher, that his Sharingan could _not track these creatures' movements!_

He landed on the rooftop, the Heartless buzzing closer. Sasuke assumed a fighting stance, prepared to engage in hand-to-hand.

_BZZT!_

"GAH!" He shouted, thrown off his feet by the creature's attack. He twitched, grimacing as he recalled from his training that the feelings he was experiencing were consistent with an electric shock.

_Why… Why didn't my chakra block the voltage?_

Sasuke rolled as the creatures blasted again, blowing a hole in the roof of the building. Molding his chakra within himself, he leapt to the wall of a multi-story stone building, sticking to the side like a large, blue and white insect. He stood, feet firmly sticking to the wall, and he formed hand seals once more.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

_FWOOSH!_ The Heartless were vaporized, and Sasuke scanned for additional threats. He glowered as two dozen additional Heartless appeared, and dove for him.

"Damnit," he muttered, leaping off the building and flashing through hand seals.

"_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"_

_FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH! FWOOSH!_

The Heartless scattered under the flames, and Sasuke noted there were larger ones in this bunch. They resembled giant bats with limbs like those of humans, clothed in dark brown leather garments. Swooping in, one slashed at his arm. Bouncing off the roof of the building below him, Sasuke twisted in midair and slammed a foot into the side of the beast. It spiraled away from the blow, and Sasuke smirked, making more handseals.

"_Katon: Hōsenka no-_GAH!" Red hot claws slashed through his back, and Sasuke tumbled into a rough landing on yet another rooftop. Pushing himself back to his feet, the Heartless slashed again, making the Uchiha cry out in pain and fall backwards over the edge of the roof for the cobblestone ground below.

"GERONIMO!" Shouted a bright female voice, and Sasuke felt someone catch him. He looked up into the face of a cute, brown haired girl who grinned happily at him.

"Hey kiddo! Sasuke right? Heard about you… First time fighting Heartless huh?" They landed in the cobblestone square below, and Sasuke could see with his Sharingan that Yuffie had used her own chakra to redirect the force of the impact into the ground, causing it to rumble ever so slightly.

"How…? What is that technique?" Sasuke asked. Yuffie pulled him to the side, slashing through another Heartless that had attempted to attack her charge from behind. Sasuke noticed her weapon-An elaborate, giant shuriken much like the ones he himself preferred to use.

"I'll teach you later! Relax squirt, now that the Great Ninja Yuffie Katsuragi's on the scene, there's no way we can lose!"

A loud sound like the one that had signaled the opening of a Heartless portal reached Sasuke's ears, and he turned to see a truly massive Heartless appear. His hand twitched, and he felt the seal beginning to react…

Quickly he formed hand seals.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"_

_BOOM!_ The large, round Heartless was vaporized, and Yuffie laughed with childish glee at the explosion.

"Nice! You can breathe fire!" Yuffie threw her giant shuriken low, slashing through several smaller Heartless. It circled back and Yuffie effortlessly caught it, Sasuke's Sharingan detecting no chakra strings between the weapon and it's wielder.

_Which means… What?_

He ducked another Heartless lunging for him and kicked it away, satisfied when it tumbled into a group of it's brethren.

"See? If you're charged with chakra, you can hurt them!" Yuffie shouted. She smirked.

"Bu-u-ut, there's a faster way!" She held her shuriken before her, like a cross to ward off evil. One of the ornaments on the weapon Sasuke had assumed was simply for decoration glowed and crackled.

"_THUNDARA!"_ She shouted, and a blast of lightening shot from the shuriken, cutting apart the ranks of the Heartless pack with ease. Sasuke paused, the silence after Yuffie's attack lasting for a few seconds…

"I trust that answered your question, Sasuke?" The Uchiha resisted the urge to jump at his sensei's appearance, instead glaring at him. Aerith stood next to Kakashi, looking little worse for wear. He knew he was a contrast to the pink clad woman – Cuts all over him, panting for breath, bruises everywhere, and low on chakra.

"Hey, the kid did all right… All things considered," Yuffie gave a thumbs up. "Still got his heart."

"This is who you brought me to train, Kakashi? Pitiful." A blunt, male voice asked from the shadows. All eyes turned to see a tall, brown haired man emerge. Sasuke studied him with narrowed eyes.

Long, spiky brown hair hung down his back and slightly over his chiseled face, though not enough to obscure the large, X-shaped scar across his nose. Over a white T-shirt, a cut up, sleeveless leather jacket with fur lining was worn. Leather pants held up by a variety of buckles over heavy boots completed his garments, but Sasuke's focus was on the large, strangly-shaped sword in his right hand.

"Hello, Leon," Kakashi replied. "In answer your question, yes. Once he gets his magic sensitivity up a bit, he'll be able to see the Heartless with his Sharingan."

Leon snorted. "And you're asking me to train him to fight Heartless, when your world is safe from the plague?" He spat on the ground, glaring at the two Konoha ninja. Yuffie sighed and cartwheeled next to Leon.

"C'mon Squall! They're asking nicely! Besides, the more people there are trained to fight the Heartless, the better!"

"I'm not interested in fighting Heartless, or learning magic, unless it makes me stronger," Sasuke stated flatly. Leon glared at him, and Sasuke felt the urge to shiver. This man was projecting killing intent, not as lethal as Orochimaru's, but still strong.

"I know your type. Just want to keep moving up in the ranks, gaining abilities but not learning how to _use_ them properly, or even considering all the different ways you _can_ use them. A spoiled brat who wants everything handed to them on a platter," Leon retorted. Sasuke growled.

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I know more than you think, kid," Leon stated in a cold, deadly tone. He shrugged. "But if you're so sure you can't learn anything from me… Go ahead. Attack. Unless you're too _weak._"

Sasuke felt new energy in his anger and charged with kunai in both hands. He heard Kakashi sigh, Aerith gasp, and Yuffie leap away. His vision was completely focus on Leon, wearing that smug, determined expression-!

"_Stop,"_ Leon commanded, and everything around Sasuke seemed to blur for an instant…

"AUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHH!" Time resumed, and he fell to the cobblestones, wheezing in agony from numerous blows. He felt as though he'd been beaten into the ground ten times over!

His eyes focused on a pair of black boots standing in front of his face.

"Pitiful… But, only the beginning," a male voice that wasn't Leon's or Kakashi's rasped, as Sasuke succumbed to the darkness once again.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Gee Squall, overkill much?" Yuffie quipped, as Aerith rushed over to check on the unconscious Sasuke. The gunblade wielder snorted.

"Kid had it coming… And it's _Leon,"_ he reminded her gruffly. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," she muttered, walking over to Sasuke as well. Leon turned and glared hatefully at Kakashi.

"If you think I'm going to train that brat, you've got another thing coming."

Kakashi narrowed his one visible eye.

"You've seen his eyes, Leon… You know about his history…"

"And I also know enough to know a lost cause when I see one," Leon cut in. "He's just like Seifer… All he knows or cares about is _himself."_

Kakashi walked up to Leon, standing a mere meter away. His single visible eye seemed to project a murderous anger.

"I'm trying to _make sure_ that _doesn't_ happen," the ninja stated. "He needs people who he can _relate_ to, open _up_ to. You have lost everything, just as he has Leon. You were once an avenger…"

Leon ground his teeth, before turning away.

"… Will you do as promised?"

"Can I do any less?" Kakashi countered. Leon grunted.

"... I'll think about it."

"Thank you," Kakashi said gratefully. He smirked beneath his mask. "I'm having him stay with Aerith and Yuffie… Considering what they did for you…"

"Different people, Kakashi… And different hearts," Leon growled, stalking off into the night. Kakashi sighed, and turned back towards his student, helping the two young women carry him towards their home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The clearing Ino had taken Hinata and Naruto to was pretty familiar to both. It was part of Training Field Twelve, where they'd all gone to train at least once with the academy survival excercises.

Standing on a flat boulder, the blonde girl grinned happily at the other two ninja.

"Naruto, that Keyblade of yours… Can I see it again?"

Naruto frowned, but complied, the unusual weapon soon shining in his hand once more. Ino grinned as she at last recognized the unusual energies circulating around it. They were 'cooler' than chakra. A feeling in the pit of her stomach, that reminded her of carefree nights with millions of stars above her, also confirmed it.

"I knew it," she smirked. Naruto's eyes widened. Hinata noticed this and frowned, looking back at Ino.

"Ino? What is it?"

"That's not a copy of the Keyblade. It's not even from _this_ world, is it?" Ino grinned savagely. "It's the real thing, from the stories!"

"No! It isn't! It's a family heirloom, it's-!" Naruto denied, but Hinata could tell. It was what Ino was talking about.

"Naruto-kun," she said quietly. The blonds turned to her, and she fidgeted.

"It… It's true… Isn't it…" Hinata bit her lower lip. "I… I didn't want to say anything… But when I looked at the Keyblade with my Byakugan… It looked… Strange."

"It's not chakra-based, its _magic_ based," Ino said in triumph. Naruto glared at her, and Ino suddenly felt a chill go down her spine as his eyes began to turn red.

"So what? You want to yell it out to the whole village? Give them _another_ reason to hate me?!" Naruto demanded, and a stifling killer intent fell over the blonde girl.

He leveled the Keyblade at her heart, red eyes boring into her terrified blue ones.

"Just _what _the _hell _do you _want, Ino?_" He snarled.

"Naruto-kun!" Hinata cried, grabbing his arm. Naruto grit his teeth, blocking out the laughter of the demon fox in the back of his head. The Keyblade glowed, and with Ino's gasp he felt calm return to him… He lowered his weapon and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry Ino…"

"I… I know," she said quietly. "I didn't… I didn't come out here to make your life harder…"

"I know," he replied, and Naruto was surprised at the fact that, yes, he _did_. How, he had no idea but it was enough for him. He turned and gave a small smile to Hinata, who shyly smiled back and let go, turning and blushing furiously. Ino cleared her throat.

"What… What I wanted to say was, well…" She smiled, suddenly shy. "Is that I'd like to help you train. How I know about magic is that, well…"

"Is that I've been training her in it," said a quiet, high pitched voice. Naruto and Hinata were shocked to see a short boy appear next to Ino on the boulder. His tall yellow pointed hat, blue and white jacket, baggy pants, glowing yellow eyes and dark skin all clearly identified him as someone _definitely_ not from around Konoha.

"You… You're from another world, aren't you?" Naruto asked. The boy nodded, and Ino smiled proudly.

"Hinata, Naruto… Let me introduce you to Vivi Ornitier. He's been teaching me magic."

"Hello," Vivi greeted kindly. Naruto gawked.

"So… How did you get here?"

Vivi's eyes crinkled in a way that implied he was smiling.

"That's… A long story. I hope you're willing to let me tell it?"

"Sure!" Naruto grinned. Hinata nodded her assent, looking a bit dazed.

"But first, Naruto," Ino said shrewdly, some of her old spirit returning, "maybe you could tell us how you got the Keyblade."

Naruto looked around at the other three people, and then back at the Keyblade. He sighed.

"All right… It all began… It all began on the night Mizuki-sensei stole the forbidden scroll…"

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"You mean, Uchiha Sasuke isn't here?"

The nurse on call shook her head, and offered a sad smile to the concerned Sakura at the desk.

"Sorry, no. He was checked out by Jounin Hatake."

"Did you see where they went?" The nurse shook her head.

"Sorry, no… Though he did talk to…" She pursed her lips and scowled, shaking her head in disgust. "… Uzumaki Naruto," she ground out. Sakura frowned, the anger in the woman's voice making her feel slightly uneasy.

"Thank you very much," she said, bowing and turning to leave.

_Kakashi-sensei probably took Sasuke for training… And Naruto, well… Kakashi-sensei had to have found someone to train him… And me…_

She sighed, feeling immensely depressed. Despite her new show of power, despite all the training she had gone through… She still couldn't beat Ino. Ino was her friend again, true, but still…

And in the Forest of Death, against Orochimaru… It was Sasuke and Naruto who had actually dealt damage to their foe, not her. She hadn't been able to protect them against the Sound Ninja on her own, either. All in all, despite the leaps her crush and teammate had taken, Sakura felt like she was being left behind. She'd tried to ignore it, that sinking feeling that she was powerless, and for a moment she knew she wasn't…

But Kakashi not even talking to her after the preliminaries were over, not looking to her training… That hurt more than she thought it would.

Going down the long hallway, she was pulled from her depressed thoughts when she spotted a tall, green-haired woman in an ANBU mask leaning against the wall. She was holding a few scrolls in her hand, the empty eyes of her mask staring at her.

"Haruno Sakura?" She asked, in a strange accent. Sakura nodded.

"I'm Sawada Toshiko, with ANBU. Jounin Hatake asked me to deliver these to you," she stated crisply, handing the pink-haired girl a few scrolls. Sakura took them and nodded, smiling a bit nervously. There was something disconcerting about this woman, her dragon like mask leering at her.

_**Weird…**_ Inner Sakura added. _**She feels familiar, but… But in an unhappy way…**_

"Thank you, Sawada-san," she said gratefully, bowing. She rose back up and turned, resuming her walk down the hallway.

"I had heard that the Copy Ninja was lazy, but I didn't know how much until this moment," Sawada commented. Sakura stopped, and turned back questioningly. The ANBU stared at her, and the genin fidgeted.

"He, um… He's busy… With Sasuke," she said, feeling a lump of bitterness grow in her throat that she tried to squash. Sawada sighed, shaking her head.

"That figures… Back in ANBU, all he cared about were the prodigies. His squad held only members of the main clans. Uchiha, Hyuga-As long as they had a powerful bloodline, you got in. If you didn't have one…" She snorted. Sakura frowned.

"Why… Why are you telling me this?" She asked uncertainly. Sawada cocked her head.

"I've looked at your chakra, Haruno. Moreover, I saw your performance at the Chuunin Exam Preliminaries."

"I didn't see…" Sakura trailed off, feeling stupid. Of course she wouldn't have seen her, she's ANBU!

"It was extremely impressive. I had no idea your family packed such an ability," Sawada commented. Sakura felt her irritation grow.

"It's… It's not a bloodline. It's my ability," Sakura stated firmly.

_**SHANNARO!**_Inner Sakura cheered.

Sawada nodded, and stepped away from the wall.

"Personally, I think that Hatake's decision to ignore you in favor of the Uchiha is ridiculous," she said. "That strange chakra source… There has never been an ability like it. Never. You are unique, Sakura, and have immense potential."

Sakura blushed and smiled.

"Th-Thank you, Sawada-san."

"I'm just sorry to see it being wasted by that bastard," she growled, walking past Sakura and heading for the exit. Sakura turned and watched her for a few moments.

_**Hey! Say something damnit!**_Her inner self shouted.

_Like what_? Sakura retorted. Inner Sakura rolled her eyes.

_**Ask her to train us!**_

_What?!_

_**Look, you have nothing to lose by asking, so ask already! SHANNARO! Before it's too late!**_

"Um, wait!" Sakura called. Sawada paused and turned around.

"Yes?" She asked expectantly. Sakura coughed nervously.

"Um… I… I was wondering… If you would… If you _could,_ you don't have to-!"

"Haruno! Stand up straight!" Ordered Sawada. Sakura complied instantly. The ANBU put her hands on her hips.

"Now, you will speak without stuttering or so help me I will _give _you a reason to stutter!"

"Will you please train me, Sawada-san?" Sakura cried out, feeling like she wanted to shiver apart. The ANBU said nothing for a moment, before nodding.

"All right. I will. On the condition you tell _no one_ that I am training you."

Sakura sighed in relief, and smiled broadly, bowing.

"Yes! Yes, I promise! Oh, thank you very much Sawada-san!"

"I will meet you at your house tomorrow at sunrise," Sawada stated. "You will be up and ready. And you will call me Sawada-_sensei._"

"Yes Sawada-sa-uh, sensei!"

"Good. I will see you then," Sawada nodded, turning and walking away once more. Sakura smiled as her inner self did a victory dance.

_**ALLRIGHT! YEAH! SHANNARO! YOU GO GIRL! **_

_Yes! I've got a trainer too! I'm NOT going to be a burden, not anymore!_

Around the next corner, Sawada chuckled darkly, her body being enveloped in green and black flames that soon vanished with her, the only trace of her existence being the faint smell of brimstone.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

At the end of his tale, about everything: The Kyuubi, the Keyblade, the Station of Calling… Everything, Naruto looked over the faces of his listeners.

Hinata look sad, Ino was in shock, and Vivi's expression was, frankly, unreadable.

"N-Naruto-kun… I'm so sorry," Hinata said quietly. Naruto sighed.

"Look… Ino, Hinata… Vivi… If you don't want to train me… Or do anything with me again… I'll understand-"

"Oh for crying out loud Naruto, don't you start a pity party now!" Ino declared. Naruto gawked at her determined expression. Hinata blushed and poked her fingers together.

"What?"

"N-Naruto-kun… I've always… The Hyuuga always knew what you contained," she said quietly. "And I have never thought less of you for it. None of us have."

"Even… Even Neji?" Naruto asked in disbelief. Hinata frowned.

"I'm not sure… But my father has known… The-The point is, I… I don't care about the Kyuubi, or the Keyblade. You are _more_ than th-those things, Naruto-kun! You are not a demon, you are-!"

"You're brave, caring, compassionate… A little stupid, and clumsy, and loud, but certainly not a demon," Ino interrupted. Naruto didn't know whether to deathglare or grin at Ino's declaration. The blonde smiled genuinely at him, as Hinata's head lowered. She'd felt like she could have confessed her feelings to her crush, but then _Ino…_

"Anyway, that just means you should train with us all the more!" Ino stated firmly. "The more you know about the Keyblade, the less it can throw at you and be a surprise, right? You're _not_ going to end all of existence, Naruto-Not while we're here!"

"I'd be more than happy to teach you! I mean… So at least some part of my world remains alive," Vivi said quietly. Naruto grinned at him.

"Vivi… Thanks! I haven't known you for more than an hour, but I feel like I can trust you."

"So, what are you waiting for, Whiskers? Let's get going!" Ino ordered. Naruto scowled.

"Hey, don't boss me around, Ino-chan! OW!"

Ino narrowed her eyes. "That's Ino-_sensei."_

"The hell I'm calling you that! You're still learning from Vivi!"

"So? I'll be teaching _you,_ which makes me _your_ sensei! So there!" Ino grinned and wrapped an arm around Hinata's shoulders. "And Hinata is _also_ your sensei!"

"M-M-Me?!" Hinata gasped. Ino smirked, and put her mouth close to Hinata's ear.

"Hey, I've heard that guys really _love_ teacher-student fantasies. And with _two_ cute teachers…" she whispered. Hinata turned bright red and nosebled herself into unconsciousness, falling over. Naruto caught her.

"Hinata?! HINATA-CHAN! Ino, use your magic or something just HELP HER!"

Ino rolled her eyes with a grin. _This is going to be fun. _Way_ better than training with Asuma-sensei and those two bums…_

"Naruto, stop overreacting, she's fine! We'll let her recover on her own. So, what's up first, Vivi-sensei?"

Vivi shook his head, a hidden smile on his face. _This feels so familiar… Like home…_

Behind his binoculars, a certain Sannin felt a perverted giggle coming on as she scribbled down notes furiously with his free hand.

_I knew the kid had potential, but never in _this!_ Inspiration is striking me! My new hit… Icha Icha Paradise: The Keyblade Chronicles! _

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Yep, another chapter in the continuing arc. Hope you're enjoying it so far. And look forward to more in the coming months! _

_My author notes are getting shorter. Guess I'm running out of stuff to say… Also, I've decided to try and not reveal as many plot points as before. Keeps the interest you see…_

_And now, for what you all love (or at least seem to comment on the most), the omakes! Feel free to submit more if you want, via review or PM!_

By Metal Dragoon: Flyin' High

Sakura looked out the window of the cockpit, checking on their pursuers.

"They're gain-ing on us!" The pilot of the plane gave a warm chuckle. "Relax

liddle lady, I've flown circles 'round these idiots dozens of times before."

A round of bullets punching a neat line across the nose of the plane had him

swallowing hard. "Eh, of course there's always a chance they'll get lucky."

"Doesn't this thing have any weapons?!" Sasuke demanded, trying to keep his

stomach down as the bulky plane began to swerve and weave under the pilot's

control. He scowled at the Uchiha. "Do I look like a fighter pilot to you?

I'm a transporter, not a fightin' ace!" The pilot grinned. "'Side's the only

weapon I need is right here." He pointed at his skull, pushing his cap to one

side.

Naruto exchanged glances with Kit Cloudkicker, and as one the gennin and cub

chorused, "We're doomed." Baloo just gave a hearty belly laugh, while Kakashi

crouched over an airsickness bag in the cargo hold. 'Never... again,' the

Copy Nin vowed, before getting reaquainted with his lunch as Baloo pulled off

an impressive maneuver, sending Don Karnage spiralling into Dumptruck's plane.

By Melchior: Why Tenten Stopped Using Guns.

Neji fidgeted while Tenten finished fiddling with the sights on her toy. A long piece of

steel pipe, with some type of feeding mechanism that stuck little bits of metal and powder

into the tube. Tenten would then squeeze some sort of lever, igniting the powder and

sending the little bit of metal out of the tube at high speed.

Neji doubted the "gun" would work, but the hunters were unusually happy with Tenten's

interest, and had freely given the device to the girl. As well as a plaid flanel shirt.

Neji was still trying to figure out how she could still look cute in that.

"Okay, I think I got this thing ready. Neji, see anything to shoot?"

"We're in a forest. I can see six birds, Without using my Byakugan."

"Err... anything bigger? I'm not entirely sure I got the sights worked out."

Neji activated his byakugan, turned, and pointed. "There's a pair of deer over in that

meadow over there."

Tenten followed his finger and smiled. "Great! I can test this out and get supper at the

same time. Those guys did say they hunted deer with these things."

"Please, it will never work," Neji dismissed. "Just use your kunai."

"Oh, yeah? Well, how about this? If it works, you have to fix dinner. Otherwise, it's

my turn." Tenten smirked.

"Just don't overcook the venison this time," Neji replied.

"Watchout. Man is in the forest."

Neji frowned. "Did you hear something?"

Tenten paused as she raised the gun to her shoulder. "Nope. Must just be Gai and Lee

'communing with nature'. Oops, the deer are starting to run."

Time seemed to slow. Tenten brought the weapon up, carefully sighted, and exhaled. A

loud crack echoed through the forest. The larger of the two deer dropped. Neji cleared

his ears, sighed, and started for the clearing.

Tenten winced. "Lounder than I thought. My ears are still rin... no, wait, that's Lee

and Gai-sensei."

"Tenten, watch out! Cruel hunters are attacking the Prince of the Forest and his mother!"

Gai hollered as he blurred to a stop in front of the girl, Lee landing beside him. "We

must take care not to be attacked as well."

"Yes, my new friend Chestnut was just telling me about a sighting of hunters when their

'guns' went off! The Prince and his mother were in a nearby meadow when-"

Neji stepped into the gathering, a lugging a doe across his shoulders. "Okay, Tenten, you

got it. How do you want dinner fixed?

"Murderer! You killed Bambi's mother!" screamed the squirrel, pointing at the girl with

the smoking gun.

_Just two omakes this time. And always, please review! Honestly. Though I'll ignore flames, I do appreciate critical reviewers who will help me improve._


	23. Vim and Vigor

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Ugh…_

Sasuke opened his eyes, then closed them again in a wince. The sunlight streaming through a nearby window had been all he'd been able to ascertain from his brief look.

"Well, glad to know you're awake," a pleasant voice reaches his ears. He opened his eyes again, more slowly this time, as Aerith lays a tray of food across his lap. He blushes just a bit when he sees the view he's getting.

"Anyway, you should eat up," Aerith went on. "Your schedule's been worked out."

"Wait, what?" Sasuke finally responded with a frown. Aerith kept up her her cheerful smile.

"I said, your schedule's been worked out. For training," she explained. Sasuke blinked and nodded, sitting up in the small bed and reaching for a piece of…

He frowned at his meal. What was this pile of yellow things? And the crispy meat? And…

"It's bread, relax," Aerith spoke, looking amused. "Just toasted."

Sasuke scowled, but tore into the food. The yellow stuff tasted like eggs, and the meat was definitely pork. It was heavier with grease than he usually had but then again, this _was_ another universe. He should probably count his blessings that they didn't serve mutated tomato people for food.

Eating his breakfast he scanned the room and categorized anything of note. Several unopened boxes, a single lamp on a table by the little bed-Essentially the room was bare, which suited Sasuke just fine.

Finally getting out of bed, he pushed open the door and blinked. The hallway was painted a nice, warm honey color. A few tapestries, weapons and paintings were hung around the three other doors on the floor. Raising an eyebrow, he walked down the stairs to the lower floor. The décor here was largely blue and more classical, which Sasuke was glad for. Yellow was just… _Too_ cheerful for him,

Sitting on a couch, the ninja girl from last night (_Yuffie,_ he reminded himself) was tossing a shuriken up and down, catching it with one hand while her other supported her head as she leaned against the armrest. She sat up and looked over the couch back with an annoyed look.

"_Took_ you long enough! Sheesh! How long does it take you to eat anyway?"

Aerith walked into the living room, sighing and shaking her head.

"Yuffie, we can't all inhale our food," she explained with a wry smile. Yuffie snorted.

"No self-respecting ninja _I_ know would take so long to eat!"

Sasuke bristled. Yuffie was beginning to remind him of a certain blond already.

"Where is Kakashi?" He asked flatly. Aerith gave him another bright smile that his heart skipped a little at. _Damnit…_

"He said he'd be back in the afternoon to help you with your training. In the meantime, we're going to be teaching you."

"Teaching me what?" Sasuke asked brusquely, though in all honesty after seeing what the two could do last night he wanted to know more. Yuffie grinned.

"Oh, little of this, little of _that…_"

A finger tapped him on his shoulder and he spun around, a kunai in his hand. His eyes widened at another Yuffie behind him, who waved as he felt cold steel against his throat.

"_Lot_ of _that,"_ the kunoichi giggled in his ear, and he desperately fought against his blush. Yuffie let him go as her shadow clone poofed out of existence.

"You use chakra as well?" Sasuke asked, turning around to face Yuffie. The ninja nodded.

"Well yeah. What kind of ninja doesn't? But, I can also use magic."

"Magic?" Sasuke asked. Aerith laughed a little at his incredulous look. She had to admit, he looked _very_ cute when he scowled. She motioned for him to sit, and he took a small chair flanking the couch. Aerith sat down on said couch, while Yuffie swung her legs over the back and sat on the top, balancing in a childlike way.

"I'm not taling about card tricks or things like that… True magic is an energy force, like chakra, that can be manipulated by humans and other life forms for a variety of purposes," Aerith explained.

"The big difference is that chakra can be channeled and manipulated by a person through their body," Yuffie added. "Magic requires a focusing element."

"The ornament on your oversized shuriken," Sasuke guessed. Aerith smiled.

"Exactly. It's called 'materia'. Though to be fair, that's just one way of focusing magic."

There was a knock at the door, and Yuffie swung off the couch, walking up to answer it. Yuffie opened it and grinned.

"Hey Ed! Glad to see you could come…"

"Hey, anything for old friends," a young male voice answered, and Sasuke soon had a person to attach it to.

He was slightly taller than himself, maybe a few centimeters, with blond hair done up in a braided ponytail. He wore a long red jacket over a black vest, with black pants and boots. His hands were gloved in white, and the fabric had strange, red drawn symbols etched into the tops of their palms. His gold eyes crinkled slightly as he grinned at Aerith, who returned the smile.

"Ed, the Moogles aren't monopolizing your time are they?" She asked. Ed shook his head and snorted.

"No, it's actually your pal, Cid. Old man always needs _something_ fixed. Can't he do repairs on his own?" Ed grumbled. He looked over at Sasuke curiously, and Yuffie chuckled.

"Ed, this is Sasuke Uchiha, or Lord Emo Pants. Sasuke, this is Edward Elric. He's here to fix your sword," Yuffie introduced. Sasuke grimaced at the 'Lord Emo Pants', but managed a polite nod to Ed. The blond grinned and extended a hand. Sasuke blinked, but extended his and took it. His eyes widened ever so slightly at the feeling of metal underneath the glove, and not flesh.

"Oh, sorry to startle you," Ed explained, letting Sasuke's hand go and pulling up his sleeve, revealing stainless steel components and plates arranged and held together with wires and screws in the form of an arm.

"Artificial limbs," Sasuke murmured thoughtfully, recalling Zaku's artificial hand. Ed shrugged, and dropped his sleeve.

"Well, time is money. Show me the sword?"

Sasuke unstrapped his weapon's sheath from his back, and set it down on the small coffee table. He tipped it and the pieces of his _chokuto _clattered onto the dull wood surface. Ed nodded thoughtfully, examining the weapon with an expert's eye.

"Wow… Was magic used to forge this thing?"

"Chakra…" Sasuke corrected, frowning a bit. The boy didn't seem to have any tools, so what was he going to do?

"Inject a little of your chakra into the pieces, if you can," Ed ordered. Sasuke looked questioningly at Aerith and Yuffie, who nodded. Sasuke put one hand on the largest piece, and another on the top half of the blade. Focusing a bit, he imbued them with a fair amount of chakra, before pulling his hands back. Edward clapped his hands, and pressed down on the table.

A brilliant blue light erupted in a circle around the sword, and it began to glow. Sasuke activated his Sharingan, amazement on his face. He could see the chakra in the sword reform itself along with the basic materials itself, shaping and seemingly solidify!

A final burst of light, and the sword was revealed, looking as though it was newly forged. Sasuke grasped the weapon and was startled to feel his chakra synching with the steel as though it were an extension of his own body. Edward grinned.

"Ending up here, I found out I had a _lot_ more to learn about alchemy," the blond chuckled. "Magic, _chi, _chakra, what have you-I had no idea how to respond to that stuff. Until I figured out they're all just slightly different forms of energy. And energy can become matter, matter can become energy. I converted the chakra you put into the steel into a more solid form so it would bind better to the metal. Also, since it's _your_ chakra, it'll retain infusions of your energy into it better." Ed shrugged. "Apparently, that makes it easier to convert it to lightening or fire or whatever else you can do with that stuff."

"So, how much do we owe you for this, Ed?" Yuffie asked.

"300 munny," Ed requested. He shrugged. "Hey, a guy's gotta eat."

"Yeah, but that's pretty low compared to the Synth shop's usual rates," Yuffie commented as Aerith handed over the coins. Edward shrugged again with a wry smile

"What can I say; I'm in big enough demand as it is. Besides, you two taught me about magic and all that other hocus pocus. Equivalent exchange," he said with a laugh. Yuffie nodded.

"So, um… Any luck finding your brother?" Yuffie posed. Sasuke looked up from his blade and saw the determined expression on Ed's face.

"No luck yet, but Jiraiya's managed to get some leads. When I've saved up enough I'll get myself and ship and start looking myself! I can't sit around Hawkeye's place forever… Nice to meet you Sasuke," Edward nodded to him, before heading out the door opened by Yuffie.

Sasuke frowned at the pair of slots in his blade near the hilt. "What are these for?"

"Oh, Ed does that to all weapons he fixes or makes for us," Yuffie explained. "Those are slots for materia. Good thing he did it right off the bat. Makes your first practical lesson easier."

Yuffie rummaged around in her side pouch, and smiled as she produced a small green orb-shaped gem. She tossed it to Sasuke, who caught the orb deftly.

"Now, that's a Fire materia, for using fire magic. Insert it into the slot on your sword," Yuffie explained, and Sasuke did so. Aerith coughed.

"Yuffie, I don't think we should start the practice right _here_ in the _house."_

"Oh c'mon Aerith, he's probably got a lower magic potential than Cloud had when he first met you," Yuffie huffed. "Now, all you have to do is-"

"_FIRE!"_ Sasuke roared, and a massive fireball shot out from the tip of his sword into the nearby wall.

_KABOOM!_

Aerith lowered her hand, deactivating the Protect/Shell spells she'd cast. Yuffie stood up from crouching behind the couch, wide-eyed.

Sasuke himself stood covered in plaster, blinking at the large hole he'd carved out of the wall into the street. He was clearly a bit shocked himself. Edward Elric poked his head in.

"Boy, _this_ brings back memories," the alchemist commented wryly. Aerith glared at the now very sheepish looking Yuffie.

"'Lower magical potential than Cloud when we first met?'" The Cetra repeated flatly. Yuffie rubbed the back of her head with a nervous smile.

"Um… Wow, heh… Fast learner."

- - - - - - - -

The dark chamber was lit only in the center, an emerald orb of energy floating above a shallow pit hewn in stone. Casting ethereal light over the faces of those summoned, it served to cast shadows more than illuminate. Yet it was in the spirit of those meeting, hiding even now in the shadows. For even among those like them, those whose hearts are filled with darkness can never be truly at ease.

"This is taking _far_ too long!" Scoffed a tall man, his beaked nose, long curly hair, and tall, wide-brimmed hat lit in the dark chamber. "When will you _deliver_ on _your_ end, Orochimaru?"

The Snake Sannin smirked in the shallow light.

"You must be patient… Until Konoha is crushed, I cannot risk delivering what you wish."

"You can come and go as you please, alongside your _spies,"_ huffed a refined man with an oily voice, a snake-headed staff easing out of the darkness, supported by a single, elegant hand. "I should think it would be simplicity itself to deliver. You _do_ wish to take part in our ultimate triumph, correct?"

"Of course," Orochimaru hissed, a slight glint of irritation in his yellow eyes.

"But, _unlike_ you, I do not have the ability to wield magic. The protection Konoha has in that regard is proving difficult to surmount."

"Ha ha! Why don't you just ask for help if you can't do it, Snake Boy?" Laughed a large, baggy entity. Orochimaru hissed and unleashed a tiny amount of killing intent.

"Silence you bag of _bugs!_ I do not _need_ your help!"

"Woah, woah, heheh, break it up," a dark figure with constantly waving hair that glowed blue in the darkness stated.

"Hey, c'mon. Snake Boy says he'll get it done, and he will." The figure narrowed his eyes and leered at Orochimaru.

"_If_ he knows what's _good_ for him…"

"Oh please, like any of _you_ deserve such _power_," snorted a deep, feminine voice, its owner's waving tentacles casting menacing shadows. "Orochimaru has provided _me_ with _plenty."_

"Oh of _course!_ Probably because _no one else_ could get any use out of his _gift_!" The first speaker sneered, shaking a metal hook in place of his hand at the large female.

"I'll have you know that with my _useless_ gift, I could _destroy_ the rest of you with _ease,"_ the sea witch cackled.

"Bold claim, but against _my_ magic the brat is useless," the snake-staff wielder sniffed. "I do not see why we cannot simply turn the boy into a Heartless now."

"Because his powers would be far less potent if we did, Jafar," stated a silky, feminine tone. The baggy entity laughed.

"Well, it's about time Maleficent! What's been keeping you?"

"Testing the defenses around Konoha," she replied calmly. Orochimaru's eyes blazed in rage.

"You-! How _dare_ you continue to _meddle_ in _my_ affairs!"

"You did not say I could not _visit_ your world, did you?" Maleficent returned with a smirk. "In any event, I had to know if your delays were caused by what you said, or if you were simply _incompetent."_

Orochimaru clenched his fists, hissing in fury. He would have struck right now, if not for the fact he still _needed_ the accursed witch!

"So, which is it?" Jafar inquired. Maleficent continued to smirk at the seething Orochimaru.

"The magical defenses around Konoha could only have been created by a Keyblade. Made long, long ago, but still effective. The barriers around it will keep any large amount of Heartless from entering. It was difficult to even teleport in. My powers are muted."

"But, mine are _not,"_ Orochimaru hissed.

"Hey, hey, lighten up! Look on the bright side, Snake Boy! You're off the hook," the fiery man chuckled. Orochimaru held his anger in check by pure force of will.

"Do not be that way, Orochimaru. I will keep _my_ promise, the moment you _destroy_ Konoha. I provided some of your troops the ability to summon Heartless-With them, your mission becomes far easier."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just take care not to let them fall into their own darkness… Or they will be their own undoing-_And_ yours."

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Tsume Tenten sighed, tapping her fingers against the top of the counter. She checked the clock hanging near the rack of spears. She considered it her favorite because of the little kunai it had for minute and hour hands.

_3:53… Relax, he's coming. He said he'd be here at four o'clock…_

_And he'll be here,_ she told herself. Tenten continued tapping her fingers on the counter, resisting the urge to look again. She'd been doing this for ages now, feeling so anxious about this.

_He's coming… He's coming… Wait, why am I so nervous? It's not like it's the first time he's been here!_

The kunoichi nodded to herself and smiled confidently. She was probably just antsy from being so bored, that's all.

Not like she was looking forward to Naruto coming to her shop again, no. Well, she was. He was a customer after all, and a friend.

Tenten found herself checking her reflection in a polished kunai, but immediately put it down.

_Stop it! You're a kunoichi damnit, you don't swoon over guys!_

Tenten paused in her inner turmoil and listened. She smiled when she heard Naruto's loud, familiar voice outside… But was a little disturbed to hear others.

"What? Are you on about that crap _again?!"_

Naruto charged in through the door, the bell ringing but all of his attention was focused on yelling at Yamanaka Ino, walking in with him. Hinata scurried in after, keeping an awkward distance from the two blonds as they continued to argue.

"No orange! That's final!" Ino declared. Naruto scowled.

"I _like_ orange!"

"Um, excuse me?" Tenten tried. Ino ignored her as she set back into Naruto. Hinata merely looked at the odango-haired girl pleadingly.

"Orange is just _tacky,_ Naruto, and besides: It screams 'here I am, _please_ kill me', to enemy ninja!" Ino shot back.

"Not if I kick their ass first! Besides, I'm _plenty_ stealthy even _with_ orange!" Naruto argued. Ino laughed haughtily.

"Yeah right! I can see you coming from a mile away! You're not wearing orange and that's it!"

"Yes I am!"

"No, you're _not!"_

_FWISH-THUNK!_ The kunai rattled menacingly in the doorframe, right between the noses of the two blonds. Naruto and Ino gulped in unison.

Pleased at the fact she now had the undivided attention of her customers, Tenten smiled sweetly as she expertly spun another kunai around her finger.

"Naruto, it's _nice_ to see you here… On time… With _friends,"_ she got out, feeling her hackles rise at 'friends'. Hinata blanched, but still met Tenten's gaze, while Ino just gawked. Naruto walked forward and smiled happily, if a little nervously.

"Hey, Tenten-chan! It's no problem! Hinata-chan and I just got, um, _sidetracked,"_ he said, looking over his shoulder with an annoyed look at Ino. The blond growled, lightening crackling in her eyes. However, Tenten swinging the kunai faster forced her to restrain her temper.

"No problem, you're here on time," Tenten returned cheerfully. Naruto looked around.

"Is your dad around?"

"No, he's out. My mother's here though," Tenten said with a smile. As she said that, a tall, graceful woman who looked like an older Tenten with slightly rounder cheeks and hair in a ponytail poked her head out of the backroom.

"Tenten, is your friend here? I have some-" She paused, and her eyes widened a bit when they reached Naruto. The blond steeled himself. Sure, it had always been Tenten's father who had bad mouthed him in the past, and thrown him out, but…

"Hello, all of you! Naruto, I see you need a replacement for your outfit," Tenten's mother said pleasantly, smiling at him. Naruto blinked.

_Okay… Not what I was expecting…_

"Definitely… Hmmm," Ino said, looking around the shop with a smile. "I could stand to pick up a few more outfits. Hinata, how about you?"

Hinata blushed. "Er, um, I uh, I'm fine…"

"Hinata, considering _your_ figure, that jacket just screams 'insecure.' That's not what you should project!" Ino lectured. Hinata tapped her fingers and blushed even harder. Naruto blushed a bit himself, remembering his fight with Hinata and just how… _tight_ her undershirt had been…

"Well, no reason we can't handle you all!" Tenten's mother said happily, stepping out from behind the counter. "Naruto, come with me to the back, I'll see what we can do for you."

"Huh? You mean, tailoring? Isn't that really expensive?" Naruto asked with a frown. Tenten's mother laughed.

"Tailoring? No, I'm just going to help you pick out some replacement clothing."

Naruto shrugged and followed the older woman past the curtain, while Tenten leapt over the counter and grinned at the two remaining girls.

"Wow, she's pale… Definitely something dark then," Tenten decided. Ino frowned.

"Hey, since when do _you_ have fashion sense?"

Tenten glowered.

"Just what do you mean by that, huh?"

"Well, it's no secret that you are a bit of a tomboy," Ino said with a haughty smile, putting a hand in front of her mouth as though holding a fan to hide her laughter. The weapons specialist scowled.

"Hey! I'm just as feminine as _you_ are! I just don't let it get in the way of my _job!"_

A vein bulged on the back of Ino's head. "Oh, so _knowing_ what looks good impedes my job performance, huh? What do _you_ know, huh? You wear _pink!"_

"You wear bright yellow shoes! Just what kind of _stealth_ is _that_ going to give you?! You have no right to critique Naruto on _his_ fashion sense while wearing _that!"_

Hinata sighed as the two girl's argument magnified. A softer sigh next to her revealed that the invisible Vivi was just as unhappy with the situation as she was…

_Still,_ Hinata thought, looking about the racks of clothing and weapons, _maybe if I dressed a little… Differently, Naruto-kun would notice me more?_

- - - - - - - - - - -

"So, um, Tsume-san-"

"Call me Shina, dear," Tenten's mother said with a smile. Naruto blinked but agreed.

"Okay, Shina-san, um…"

"You're wondering why I'm treating you better than my husband, right?" She asked. Naruto nodded, rubbing the back of his head in slight embarrassment. Shina chuckled.

"It's all right, Naruto… It's a fair question. Truth be told, I've never held a grudge against you for… Um," the woman hesitated. Naruto sighed.

"The Kyuubi?" He answered. Shina's smile returned.

"Yes… I didn't know you knew…"

"I do. And… Thank you for not holding it against me," Naruto said earnestly. Shina hummed and rummaged through a few boxes.

"Well, not _your_ fault you're stuck with it, right? Besides, Tenten's told me a lot about you." She turned around, holding a burnt orange jacket with black sleeves and a white hood. Naruto grinned.

"Wow! That's awesome!"

"Yes. The best part is that it's reversible," she explained, turning the jacket inside-out. "The inside is a special mixture of dark grays, perfect for moving around undetected at night," she added, showing it off. Naruto nodded with a smile.

"That's good. I mean, I love orange, but it isn't the best thing to sneak around in," he admitted. Shina chuckled.

"That's all right… It comes with pants the same way, but let's make things a little easier." Reaching for another box, she pulled out black ninja pants similar to what Kakashi wore. A long-sleeved, black undershirt was last and she handed him the full outfit.

"Try it on!" She said, pointing to a curtained-off cubicle. Naruto went in and shut the curtain firmly behind himself, and began to change.

"So, Tenten talks about me?" Naruto asked as he tugged off his burnt and ragged jacket. Shina, on the other side of the curtain, nodded.

"Mm, yes. She's always had a tough time making friends. Never went for anything particularly girly like the other kunoichi." She chuckled. "She completely ignored the teddy bear we got her for her third birthday and carried some of the shop's kunai around everywhere she went."

"Mo-o-om!" Tenten groaned as she walked into the back room. Shina just laughed.

"Oh, but it was so cute! Naruto thinks so, don't you?"

Naruto tried very, very hard not to continue laughing, but he couldn't help the smile on his face as he came out of the changing room. He grinned.

"C'mon Tenten, that's great! I mean, you have happy memories with your parents, right? That's good…"

Tenten blushed a little, recalling that Naruto was an orphan a _little_ too late in her opinion.

"Sorry… Um… You look good, by the way," she complimented. Naruto grinned.

"Thanks! So, how much?"

"Same price as before, though you can get two more outfits for the price of one" Shina said. Naruto grinned.

"I can afford that. Thanks!"

"Not a problem," Shina said with a smile. "Orange just doesn't seem to be in high demand, so I'm glad someone's enjoying it."

"Naruto! Come out here! Hinata has something to _show you-u-u!"_ Ino called out in a sing-song voice. Frowning, Naruto walked out, pushing aside the curtain and looking around.

"Ino-chan? Hinata-chan?"

Said blond was tugging the pale arm of said blunnette, trying to drag her out of the changing room.

"No! No! I-I can't!" Hinata cried. Ino only tugged harder.

"C'mon! Uff! Naruto's waiting!"

"It-It's too embarrassing!" Hinata wailed. Ino sighed and let go, before smirking evilly.

"Ino, what are you-?" Naruto began to ask, before the blonde whipped out her staff and cast a spell.

"_Thunder!"_ Ino shouted, and a bolt of electricity later saw Hinata leap out of the changing room with a yelp.

"I-I-INO!" She cried. She abruptly realized where she was, and _who_ was currently staring at her. Ino grinned, and rested her staff against her shoulder.

"Well Naruto? What do you think?" She asked. Naruto gulped as Hinata blushed to what was probably a new shade of red.

The top was, in a word, _tight._ Blue and made of some thick, durable material, it still clung to Hinata's curves, the various zippers seeming to emphasize her maturing body. The dress was sleeveless, and even with the white T-shirt she'd put on underneath a lot of her smooth, pale skin was revealed. Her white skirt was short, but not as short as Ino's, and yet still showed off her graceful legs. Naruto felt some liquid dribble over the top of his lips, and he smelled blood.

"I think we have a winner," Ino purred triumphantly.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Donald Duck grumbled irritably as he walked back to the waiting Gummi ship, the night sky overhead similar to that over Disney Castle, but just different enough to annoy the duck.

"Well, uh, look on the bright side! We found out _where_ he's _not,_ right?" Goofy asked. Donald sighed.

"It'd be _nice_ if the King actually told us where Traverse Town _is!"_ The duck mage groused. "We've been to six worlds already and not _one_ of 'em has ever heard of this Squall character!"

Donald glared at Pluto, loping ahead of them. "And _you!_ Don't you want to find the King? Why'd you steer us to these random worlds, huh?"

The dog merely barked, and ran off for the ship. The duck sighed again. Goofy grinned.

"Aw, cheer up Donald, ahyuck! Gadget said she'd fix the navigation, didn't she?"

"That's what she said _before,"_ Donald grumbled.

"Aw, have some faith Donald! She'll get the gummi right!"

"It isn't as though I haven't been _trying,"_ the mouse mechanic spoke, currently on the outside of the ship as they approached. She jumped on an oversized wrench and turned it, before tapping her ear communicator. "How's it look down there, Chip?"

"_Looks good to me!"_

"The Interspace beacons we set up for research barely reach out this far," Gadget explained. "So we've had to try something else for navigational purposes."

"Uh, what?" Goofy asked. Gadget pointed to the green Gummi block in his hand.

"That Gummi, the one we needed you to get from this world," Gadget explained. "While most Gummi blocks don't have a unique energy signature, green ones do. Unique to the planet they're part of I mean. So, we use _this_ world as one set of coordinates, we use the block to determine how far away we're from _this_ world, and then we compare the distance to the signals we can still pick up from our Interspace beacons back home!"

"Uhhh…" Donald began, blinking. Goofy chuckled.

"Oh, I get it! This world's one point of a triangle, the beacons are the second, and the third is the ship! Hot dog, that's great, ahyuck!"

"Yes, exactly what I was going to say," Donald said dryly. He was leery on going with plans Goofy approved of, but then again he wasn't the Captain of the Royal Knights for nothing. Pluto had already hopped back into the ship, as had Gadget, and the dog barked for them to come.

"Traverse Town, here we come!" Goofy cheered. Donald frowned, thinking it over…

"Halt, foul demons! I, the Blue Thunder of Furiken shall smite you and-!"

"_Thunder,"_ Donald muttered, and a second later the strange, kimono-wearing boy was blasted into unconsciousness by a bolt of lightening.

"Okay, _now_ let's go…"

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_No, I will not write about any of the other worlds Donald, Goofy and company accidentally visited. You guys can, but I've got the main story to worry about._

_I've learned that the manga of "Full Metal Alchemist" is owned by Square Enix, so I can include Ed and others in this fic without guilt. Woo hoo! _

_They won't dominate the story, but they will be included._

_Hope you all liked the meeting of the villains. And I also hope I didn't reveal too much about their plans. But, I think it's obvious Orochimaru has an unpleasant surprise for Konoha._

_Next chapter will see the beginning of Naruto's training with Jiraiya, more of Sasuke's training with Aerith, Yuffie, Kakashi and Squall, and Sakura beginning her training with Sawada. Sorry for the brevity of this chapter, my first school assignments have sapped a lot of my creativity. Guh, school…_

_As always, please review. And now, omakes!_

By Me: The Nanny:

Hinata, Neji and Hanabi sat at the kitchen table, depressed. Their father had been trying to find a nanny for them for weeks, but all of them had met with 'accidents'.

'Stupid nanny, telling me my daddy deserved to die,' Neji bitterly recalled, before grinning at the vat of pudding that just so happened to have been below her. Why she had been babbling about being Gentle Fisted by the children no one could explain...

Hinata, while usually sweet and timid, found herself being dragged into schemes by her younger sister and cousin on a routine basis-Mainly because she couldn't say no. 'Still, it was satisfying to leave that nanny hanging upside-down when she insulted Naruto-kun,' she thought, blushing with a small smile on her face.

Hanabi just enjoyed causing chaos. Being the baby of the family, and even worse seen as Hiashi's 'second chance' to raise a 'worthy heir' gave her a lot of pent up aggression, and combined with her intelligence and disregard for authority figures resulted in a girl Naruto might consider a soul mate.

Hinata deathglared Hanabi. 'Bitch, lay off my man!'

Hanabi just smirked back. 'The moment I'm legal he's mine!'

Neji rolled his eyes. 'Main branch women... Even worse than regular women to understand!'

Their silent arguments and musings were cut short by Hiashi appearing in the kitchen door, stern as usual.

"Children, your new nanny has arrived," Hiashi said. He looked sternly at his rambunctious children. "There will be no 'mysterious accidents' for this one, understood?"

"Y-Yes father," Hinata stuttered.

"Certainly, father!" Hanabi smiled innocently.

"Yes, Hiashi-sama," Neji grunted.

"Good. I'll see you all later. I'm off to... Meet with your instructor, Hinata. No doubt she will tell me how much you have failed as of late," he sneered, turning and stalking out the door.

"Translation: I'm going to argue with her while I stare through her clothing," Hanabi announced cheerfully. Hinata gawked while Neji smirked.

"So, this new babysitter... Hiashi-sama must be confident in her abilities to subdue us," Neji mused. Hanabi smirked evilly.

"Two days, tops. You have the whipped cream, cousin?"

"Indeed, Hanabi-sama."

"Um, m-maybe she's nice, like my list," Hinata offered timidly. Hanabi snorted.

"Oh c'mon Hinata... Father tore up that list of yours and threw it in the fireplace. What makes you think she'll be anything like what YOU want?"

Hinata adopted a kicked puppy look, as the new babysitter entered. She tapped her umbrella against the floor and looked primly at her new charges.

"Hello, I'm Mary Poppins. Practically perfect in every way," she said with a small smile.

By SAMAS: What if Tenten's Mother Was...

Tenten braced herself as the wind blasted her weapons in several directions. Temari smirked at her as Gravity grabbed a hold of her, bringing her back down to earth, where Temari was probably expecting to take her out and end this match.

Or so she thought. Too bad she had put herself right where Tenten wanted her. Extending her arm in front of her, she closed her eyes and felt the power of her bloodline flow through her, covering her body in a green light:

"CHARTRUESE GALE!"

Even Temari was surprised by the wind that suddenly whipped up around her, forcing everyone to duck and cover. When they looked again, the weapons scattered around Temari were gone, and she was now surrounded by a dozen warriors and monsters of various shapes and sizes, carrying everything from swords and kunai to rocks, stone pillars, and scrolls.

Tenten landed on the ground, next to a young man carrying a sword and wearing a very long red scarf. A bottle with arms and legs hopped off his shoulder and jumped to the catwalk, stopping in front of Naruto and pulling the cork out of it's neck.

Gingerly, Naruto picked the bottle up and pulled out the slip of paper within. "Hey, what's this?"

Tenten blushed, her eyes growing wide as she had forgotten that she wasn't quite read to summon that one yet. "Ummm... Meet me there this evening, and maybe I'll show you how I did this! Get her!" She said to the Phantoms, pointing at Temari.

(A little KH/Naruto/Nippon Ichi(Phantom Brave) crossover).

By Melchior: Sakura and Magic

"Okay, we snuck by the guarding orks and heartless, weaved our way through the giant

thorny vines, and infiltrated the castle to the main hall. Now, Sakura is being trained

as a witch somewhere in here, but we do not know where, nor if she has turned evil. So we need to spread out and find her. Naruto?"

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Take the doors on the left over there. Sasuke?"

"Take the right half?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. "That's correct. I'll go up the stairs and start that floor myself.

Watch-out for any heavily guarded areas, and do NOT engage if you can avoid it. We have no information on the number or skill of the inhabitants. We will meet back here in 30 minutes, regardless of finding anything or not. Understood?"

"Yes, sensei!" rang out his two students' voices.

"Alright, then let us begin 'Operation: Find Sakura'!" Kakashi said, dramatically

pointing a finger into the air.

"Actually, I'm right up here."

The group turned to the stairs, watching a figure step out of the shadows, a single

thought flashing through their minds.

Is Sakura still good, or has she turned...

Black.

"Bad!" Cried Naruto, causing the girl to turn red in anger.

Belted.

"Very Bad!" Muttered Sasuke as he activated the Sharingan, causing the girl to turn even

redder in embarrassment.

Leather.

"Down right Naughty!" Said Kakashi as he snapped a few photos for 'reports'. Sakura had turned a nice crimson at this point.

"I know it's a little different, but Lulu-sensei says it is the traditional outfit for the

mages of her village!" Sakura was standing in a tight, shoulderless black leather dress

with no less than 17 belts holding it closed.

"Lulu-sensei?" Asked Naruto. Meanwhile, Sasuke was still trying to figure out HOW the dress stayed on. The belts are all ornamental, and should be physically impossible to do up anyway...

"I had just found a teacher when we were captured and trapped here. I've learned enough

fire magic to help burn us out, but I still haven't gotten enough stamina for us to get

all the way through before the thorns grow back," Sakura answered.

"Sakura, who are you talking to?" called out a voice.

"Good news, sensei! My teammates are here to help with the breakout!" And with that, a beautiful woman in an even MORE gravity defying black dress came out of one of the upper floor's rooms.

"Very, very naughty! Life-time subscription to Icha Icha, here I come!" And Kakashi

spends the rest of his film getting shots for Jiraiya.

_Don't worry if your omake doesn't show up right after you send it. I can only do a few at a time before the omakes begin taking up more of the story than the story itself. Rest assured though, that if you send in one, it will show up in the story eventually. This is going to be epic, remember?_


	24. What Practice Makes

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kurenai sighed heavily as she walked down the rice paper-walled hallway. Her meeting with Hiashi on the progress of his daughter had gone as expected. She'd given her report of her performance in the exams, he'd said he hadn't cared…

Though when she mentioned that Hinata had gone up against _Uzumaki Naruto,_ that had certainly gotten a reaction. He'd spun around and actually looked at her.

With his Byakugan on. He'd quickly turned it off but Kurenai could have _sworn_ he was…

But of course, that was impossible, she reminded herself.

_At least he knows what I look like. With how he's always facing the wall when I visit…_

"Are you Kurenai Yuuhi?"

The red-eyed jounin paused and looked down. A small, blue-haired Hyuuga girl in a black yukata was looking at her curiously. _Ah, Hanabi…_

"Yes, I am… You must be Hanabi-sama," Kurenai said with a smile, which she was grateful the little girl returned. Hanabi walked up and looked Kurenai up and down, humming thoughtfully. The jounin frowned.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

Hanabi smiled brightly.

"No, nothing… Well… There _is_ something," the little girl admitted. Kurenai smiled back and crouched down to see eye to eye with the little Hyuuga. _She is just so cute! And smiling like that! Guess Hiashi isn't _quite_ so heartless…_

"Well, what is it?"

Hanabi gave her the most innocent expression imaginable.

"When are you going to be my new mommy?"

Kurenai's eyes widened. Her jaw dropped. She felt a chill run down her spine.

"Wh-What?" She asked in a choked laugh. Hanabi began to rock back and forth on her heels expectantly.

"Well, Daddy says that you're the most beautiful woman in the village. He also said you're 'porn star hot'. I don't know what that means but he was smiling when he said it so he _must_ have been complimenting you! Also, he always has his Byakugan on when you visit and is always blushing when you leave. Auntie says that means he likes you like daddies and mommies like each other so again, when are you going to be my new mommy?"

Kurenai felt her brain wanting to shut down. The moment was made all the more surreal by Hanabi's impeccably innocent smile.

_Well… That explains why Asuma had no idea where those thousand ryo roses came from,_ she thought, trying to get her head around the concept of _Hyuuga Hiashi,_ widower and among the most powerful, rich and sternest individuals in Konoha _having a crush on her!_

Not to mention using his Byakugan to…

An angry blush blossomed over Kurenai's face. _That bastard! He knows I can't do anything! Oh, I'll show him, I'll show him _good!

She gave the little girl as pleasant a smile as she could.

"Hanabi-sama… Tell your father I'll be visiting him again tomorrow… And thanks for the roses," she said, her smile turning slightly feral. Hanabi nodded happily as Kurenai stood up and walked out into the compound courtyard. As soon as she was sure the genjutsu mistress was out of range, the Hyuuga girl giggled evilly.

_Phase one, complete!_

Outside of the compound walls, Hinata and Naruto blinked as Kurenai stormed out of the front entrance, a frightening smile on her face. Ino raised an eyebrow.

"Hinata-chan? What the fuck?"

"Um… Sh-She usually leaves w-with an angry expression," Hinata managed. Naruto blinked, then shrugged.

"Eh… So Hinata-chan, can you take these bags in with you?"

Hinata blushed a bit. Seven Naruto Kage Bunshins carried various stacks of clothing and merchandise Ino had 'suggested' she buy.

"Um, n-no. I can take mine…"

"You only bought a few bags Hinata! Honestly, haven't you ever been shopping with a girl before?" Ino huffed. She smiled brightly and hugged the blushing blue-haired girl. "Oh well, I guess we just have to make up for… How many years have you been saving your allowance!"

"T-Ten years," Hinata admitted sheepishly. Naruto laughed.

"Aw heck, it's no problem Hinata-chan! I've been saving mine for almost as long."

"Geez, you two are practically loaded, meanwhile I can only go on shopping sprees when I manage to swipe my dad's credit card," Ino grumbled. She immediately brightened.

"But now that I'm your sensei, I get to go shopping with you whenever I like!"

Naruto sighed sadly, and gave a look to his seriously deflated frog wallet. _Gama-chan, old buddy… You're going to have to get used to being thin._

"Anyway, see you later Hinata-chan!" Ino gushed, grabbed the Hyuuga's purchases and shoving them into her hands. Weighted down, Hinata activated her Bykaugan to see through the stack of bags. She narrowed her eyes as she spotted Ino hanging off Naruto's arm.

"Have fun! See you bright and early tomorro-o-ow!" Ino crooned. She pushed Naruto down the street, his clones following.

"Bye Hinata-chan! See you!" Naruto managed with a smile that made Hinata's skip a beat. With a dreamy smile of her own she turned and wandered back towards the compound, content in seeing her crush in the morning.

In the meantime, the residents of the Hyuuga's neighborhood were forced to suffer the two loudest blondes in Konoha squabbling as they made their way towards Ino's home.

"Now, chop chop! Let's get to my house!"

"Stop being so bossy, sheesh!" Naruto complained.

"Stop being so slow! Pick up the pace!"

"We _would_ if we weren't weighed down with all your crap! OW!"

"That's your _crap,_ Ino-_sensei!"_ Ino ordered. All of the Narutos glowered.

_God, no wonder Shikamaru's always saying troublesome… It must have Ino's picture under it in the dictionary…_

- - - - - - - - - - -

Across the dimensional divide in Traverse Town, Sasuke felt exhausted. His _chokuto_ waved slightly in his grip, and he found himself resting more and more weight on his forward thrust right foot than his supporting left foot.

Controlling his breathing, he moved forward across the dusty lot, swinging for his sparring partner. His sword gleamed red in the late afternoon sun.

"Overhead blow, thrust, duck, parry…"

Sasuke followed Aerith's instructions, knocking her staff down with the first blow and then thrusting for her belly. The young woman deftly twirled out of range of the strike, and Sasuke ducked to avoid her horizontal sweep of her staff, coming back up and deflecting her own overhead strike.

"Good! Now, thrust, upwards deflect, forward leg sweep, block," Aerith coached. Sasuke thrust forward, making sure to not change his stance until the very last moment so Aerith could not predict when he would make the move.

She moved backwards away from the strike, allowing Sasuke to direct chakra into the blade and swing it upwards, forcing her to move her arms up. Sasuke dove, leg sweeping with incredible agility.

Aerith merely leapt over the movement and swung her staff down on his head. _BONK!_

"Damn!" He muttered, lying on his back in the dirt. Aerith looked down at him with a somewhat amused smile.

"Again, very good, though you don't have overhead blocking in a crouch down yet…" She extended a hand, which Sasuke took with only minor reluctance. Considering how often the pink-clad woman had sent him down on his back over the training session, it was swiftly becoming a habit.

"So Sasuke, tell me, how long have you had your Sharingan?" Aerith asked. Sasuke wiped some dirt from his sullen face.

"About two months…"

"How often have you used it in combat since then?" She continued. Sasuke grimaced.

"Every time since I got it… Aside from this training session," he replied. Aerith nodded thoughtfully.

"Well, looks like you haven't become too reliant on it then, that's good!" She smiled. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Too reliant? It consumes very little of my chakra-"

"Ah, yes Sasuke, but from what Kakashi has told me, in drawn out combat the drain on your reserves will become more noticeable," Aerith replied. "You shouldn't become _so_ reliant on it that you're helpless without it."

Sasuke grimaced, but said nothing. Kakashi was already approaching, _Icha Icha Paradise _in hand.

"Hmmm… So, how did it go your first day?" Kakashi asked. A familiar short-haired ninja girl popped up behind him with a grin.

"Oh like you weren't watching, Kakashi!" Yuffie teased. The Copy Ninja shrugged.

"Just every now and then," Kakashi replied. Yuffie grinned and launched into a report.

"Let's see, we taught him how to use Fire and Lightening Materia. We also got him working with some Cure Materia, though it doesn't look like that's his best element. Oh yeah, and for the last five hours he's gotten his cute little ass kicked by Aerith or myself!"

Sasuke flushed at the 'cute little ass' part, and deathglared his sensei as he eye-smiled.

"Is that so?"

"Not entirely," Aerith supplied. "He's already gotten a lot better than before."

"Still can't land a hit on either of us," Yuffie teased. "Maybe he doesn't like hitting girls?"

"They wouldn't let me use my Sharingan, except at the start," Sasuke grumbled. Aerith sighed.

"Sasuke, we've been over this. The better you are without the Sharingan, the better you _will_ be with it on. You need to be patient."

Sasuke glared around at his three teachers, before taking a deep breath.

"_Fine._ Let's continue."

"Hey, you sure? I mean, you've been at this a _while_ now," Yuffie asked. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at his student, at how determined he was to keep up his sparring with the two women.

"Hmmm… Well, the more practice he gets with you two, the easier my part of his training will be," the Copy Ninja mused aloud.

"I don't mind continuing with him," Aerith offered with an encouraging smile at the raven-haired youth. Sasuke turned away, trying to hide his blush… And failing miserably, as Yuffie's giggling proved.

Kakashi nodded. "All right Sasuke. We'll begin my training with you tomorrow. A day on, day off schedule would probably work best, don't you think?"

"Sure!" Yuffie grinned. She pulled her Conformer from her back and spun it around herself with an artistic flourish. Kakashi winked at Sasuke.

"See you then… Don't stay up too late," he teased. The Uchiha glared over his shoulder as Kakashi merely chuckled and vanished in a poof of smoke. Yuffie pointed in a random direction.

"Hey Sasuke, look!"

Sasuke frowned and followed where Yuffie was looking. He spotted a bright star just beginning to twinkle in the growing night.

"So wha-?"

_POW!_ Sasuke felt the all too familiar sensation of dirt and rocks pressing against his back. Not to mention the feeling of being hit in the face. He seethed, leaping back up and hands flashing through handseals.

"_KATON! GOUKAKYUU NO JUTSU!"_

"D'WA-A-AHHHH! IT WAS JUST A JO-O-OKE!" Yuffie squealed as she barely leapt out of the way of the gigantic fireball, which slammed against one of the brick walls of the surrounding buildings. With a muffle _BOOM_ it dissipated, and Sasuke saw a large seal glowing on the wall, absorbing the energy before vanishing into smoke. His eyebrow twitched and he swung around, his blade meeting Aerith's Princess Guard with a loud _CLANG!_

"Good! You're minding your surroundings a bit better," she complimented. Though Aerith had meant it honestly, it just spurred Sasuke to greater heights of anger as he furiously dueled the half-Cetra.

On a nearby rooftop, Leon observed the training session, expert eyes tracing every movement made by Sasuke and his weapon.

"He moves more fluidly now between forms," Kakashi said behind him, his _Icha Icha Paradise_ still out in his hand. "Elric does good work."

"It's not hard to see the fuel behind his movements," the gunblader snorted. "It's no desire to improve himself. Only to be better than everyone else."

Kakashi sighed. "It's his _first day._ Can't you cut him some slack?"

"Unlike you, I don't believe in giving someone a free pass just because his life was difficult," Leon snorted.

"If I had given him a free pass he wouldn't have been able to fight like he has for the last five hours," Kakashi replied evenly. "He works hard, Leon."

"I can see that. I can also see what_ you_ can't," Leon stated. His eyes narrowed as memories of a certain cocky, blond gunblade wielder seemed to superimpose themselves onto Sasuke far below. Kakashi took a breath.

"I will spar with him. I promised that much… And I keep my promises," Leon spoke, turning and walking away into the night. Kakashi frowned after him. He'd seen men like Leon-The bitterness of loss twisting who they were, casting their heart into darkness. Most sank into madness or depression, and yet Leon had remained in as much of the light as he could grab. He had turned away from the path of an avenger, a loner… Kakashi only hoped that Sasuke could learn by example.

Sasuke was knocked off his feet by a Reflection spell, flat on his back. Kakashi's keen eyes detected a hint of black on the Uchiha's skin, a flare of dark chakra emerging.

"Sasuke!" Called Aerith. The raven-haired ninja looked up, locking eyes with the Cetra.

"Focus!" She shouted. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, the dark chakra continuing to grow. He was growing resentful of how _understanding_ she was, how _strong…_

She approached him but he swung his sword, knocking Princess Guard right out of her hands. He snarled, raising his blade and attacking again.

_CLANG!_

Aerith grit her teeth, holding back Sasuke's blade by trapping it between her mythril bracelets. Sasuke let go of the sword and swung his fist for her face, but she ducked, moving forward and grabbing Sasuke in a bearhug. The Uchiha struggled, his anger growing.

"Let me go!" He shouted.

"No," Aerith stated flatly. "Calm. _Down._"

She began rubbing his back, even as more dark chakra began to erupt from his aura. Sasuke struggled, harder against her grip but Aerith held on. She would not be moved.

"Let me _go!_" Sasuke roared, still trying to push her away with his growing strength.

Kakashi and Yuffie were both down in the lot, Kakashi already making handseals, but a look from Aerith made him stop a few meters away. She held Sasuke even closer and put her lips near his ear.

"I know it hurts, Sasuke, I know it _burns…_ But it's _not_ going to help you. It's _not_ going to make you stronger. You knew there would be no shortcuts on your journey, didn't you?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth as dark lines began spreading over his skin.

"I… I _need_ _power…_ I _need_ to _catch up…"_

"I know, Sasuke, I _know…"_

"HOW COULD YOU?! YOU DON'T KNOW-!"

"Yes I do! I know how much it hurts to have _everything_ taken away from you! How _far_ you'd go to get it back, but _listen to me!_"

She grabbed Sasuke's shoulders and pushed him back, holding him and gazing deeply into his eyes. Sasuke glared in defiance, in hatred, in utter _frustration_ and _helplessness._

_Damn her eyes! Damnit! Damnit! Damnit!_

"This will _not_ help you! This will _only_ make you _weaker!"_ Aerith said, not raising her voice but still cutting deeply into Sasuke's mind. "You're _better_ than this! You don't _need_ this!"

Sasuke took labored breaths, Sharingan active as the seal continued to spread. Aerith held his gaze, not backing down for an instant. The Dark Keyblade appeared in Sasuke's hand, and for a terrifying moment Kakashi thought he would actually try to strike down the woman with the weapon…

The boy shut his eyes, teeth gritted, as he tossed the weapon aside as hard as he could. The aura began to die down, dark chakra receding with the seal marks across his skin back into the cursed seal. Breathing hard, Sasuke went limp, Aerith holding him closely and rubbing his back, whispering soothing words into his ear.

Yuffie breathed a sigh of relief. Kakashi let go of his held breath, and smirked under his mask.

_Can't see what you can, hm Leon? _The jounin chuckled. _Maybe…_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The next day saw Naruto at a rocky clearing near a beautiful waterfall, the clear sunlight shining cheerfully. Wearing his new clothing, he summoned his Keyblade into his hand and closed his eyes. He took a deep breath.

"_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_

Four dozen additional Narutos' joined him. The original smirked and swung his blade around.

"Okay, same old routine guys!" Naruto announced. "HIT IT!"

"YAH!" They shouted back, attacking the nearest clones by themselves, in pairs, or in whole squads. The original ducked a swing for his head from one clone, catching the attacking clone's ankle with the teeth of his Keyblade and yanking him off his feet. The Keyblade gave him another warning and Naruto jumped up, avoiding a slash from another clone. He kicked the clone in the face and used him as a springboard, somersaulting backwards and slamming his foot into another clone's head with yet another cue from his mystical weapon.

He landed on one hand and sprang himself back into his feet, sliding through the legs of yet another clone and upward slashing it to smoke between the legs.

"Oh, man, not cool Boss!" A few other clones shouted. Naruto scoffed.

"Yeah right! Like I haven't-er, _you_ haven't-! Like _we_ haven't used that move before!"

"Still sucks!" The clones chorused. Naruto sighed.

"Oh c'mon! It'll be hilarious if we can use it against the bastard!" Naruto implored. His clones looked amongst themselves.

"Wait, _which_ bastard? Neji or Sasuke?" One clone shouted. Naruto looked thoughtful, before grinning.

"_Both!"_

"YEAH!" The clones cheered. Naruto swung his Keyblade around dramatically. If there was one aspect of his favorite jutsu he loved above any other, it was having an instant audience/group of willing training partners. He felt a bit like an epic hero in front of his people, cheering them on to victory against the tyranny of Emo Bastards. He leapt to the top of a boulder.

"So, what are we going to do?" He asked loudly of his troops.

"Kick ass!" They shouted.

"And whose ass will we be kicking?" Naruto prompted.

"NEJI'S!" They cheered.

Jiraiya chuckled and shook his head at the spectacle greeting him. "Well, glad to see you're in a good mood this morning."

Naruto laughed, rubbing the back of his head. He dismissed his clones and stepped off the boulder.

"Hey Old Perv!"

Jiraiya glared at his student. "Hey, show some respect kid! I _am_ taking time out of my busy schedule to instruct you," he declared. Naruto snorted.

"Yeah right! Doing what, peeping at women in hot springs?"

"I'll have you know it's _research._ I am the Gama Sennin,_"_ Jiraiya sniffed in an affronted tone. Naruto smirked.

"So what, I should call you _Ero-_Sennin then? OW!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his head, glaring at Jiraiya who was now right next to him. The Sannin sighed.

_Figures he's headstrong…_

"All right kid… First things first. I want you to try and summon up your… _Other_ chakra," Jiraiya began, his keen senses spotting Vivi, Ino, and Hinata's approach. The blonde snorted underneath her new, wide prim pointed hat.

"You mean, the _Kyuubi's_ chakra, right?" Ino snorted. Jiraiya raised an eyebrow. Hinata blushed, Vivi scratched his cheek, and Naruto shrugged.

"So, you told 'em huh?" He asked. Jiraiya, of course, knew all this, but making Naruto squirm was proving more entertaining that he'd first thought.

The blond soon narrowed his eyes, determination back in his stance.

"Yeah, so?"

"Nothing. It'll make things easier. Master Vivi," Jiraiya grinned, bowing to the small black mage. Vivi, startled, dropped his invisibility spell. Naruto raised an eyebrow as Jiraiya just smirked.

"So what, you want to show off that you know everything?"

"No, just that I know _enough,"_ the Sannin replied smugly.

"Fine… I'm _still_ calling you Ero-Sennin!" Naruto retorted. Jiraiya cringed as Ino laughed.

"_Ero-_Sennin, huh? That's pretty good, Naruto. So, what's first Ero-Sennin?"

Jiraiya groaned, and slapped one cheek. _These kids are going to cramp my style… Well, unless I can get them to provide me some inspiration…_

Jiraiya smiled patiently, and sat on the boulder. "All right kiddos, gather 'round."

The Keyblader, black mages, and Hyuuga sat on the rocks around the Sannin, as Jiraiya cleared his throat with a grin. He produced a large scroll and thumped it.

"Now Naruto, releasing the Kyuubi's chakra and _controlling_ it, will open a whole new world of jutsus and techniques up to you. Things only jounin or Kage could do, _you_ can do thanks to the furball tucked away in your stomach."

"Lucky me," Naruto said sarcastically. Hinata blushed as Ino just laughed. Jiraiya smirked.

"Oh, I think I can change your mind…" He opened the scroll and unrolled it. Jiraiya slammed a finger to his own name. "Know what this is?"

"I-It's a summoning scr-scroll," Hinata stuttered. Naruto smiled widely at the Hyuuga heiress, who blushed and looked down. Jiraiya grinned.

"Yep! Using a jutsu, and a bit of blood and chakra, you will be able to summon animals who will aid you in battle."

Naruto's face lit up. "Awesome! What do I do first?"

"Well, _first_ you sign it, in your own blood," Jiraiya said, indicating an empty spot on the parchment. "You're signing a summoning _contract_ with the animal type. In this case, toads."

"Toads?" Ino asked in revulsion. "What good are _toads_ going to be in battle?"

"Plenty," Jiraiya grinned. "With the Kyuubi's chakra, Naruto should be able to summon the most powerful of the toads with ease."

"Ga-Gamabunta, r-right?" Hinata asked.

"Very good! The Boss Toad that the Yondaime rode into battle against the Kyuubi," Jiraiya added. Naruto grinned.

"All right! I'm sold!" Naruto bit his thumb and quickly signed the parchment, adding his fingerprints to the end.

"Now Naruto, watch these handseals. All you have to do _now,_ is make these handseals, put a little blood on your hand, direct the chakra _into_ your blood, and press your hand to the ground. Observe!"

Jiraiya slowly made the hand seals, before biting his thumb and slamming his palm into the boulder beneath him.

"_Kuchiyose no jutsu!"_

_POOF!_ The explosion smoke soon parted, revealing a gigantic orange toad in battle armor.

"W-Wow!" Hinata gasped, as the huge toad croaked. Naruto grinned.

"All right! I'm going to do this too!"

"Everyone better stand back," Ino said with a smirked. Naruto grinned and winked at her, making the blonde blush against her will.

"Ha! I'll summon a toad even _bigger_ than that one! Just you watch!"

Naruto closed his eyes, and tried to think of something that made him angry. _Let's see… Sasuke dying made me plenty angry… Angry enough to get the fox's chakra… That snake bastard too…_

He couldn't _feel _the Kyuubi's chakra, but the chakra he was using did feel more… Violent. Naruto made the handseals, and slammed his still-blood painted hand into the ground beneath him.

"_Kuchiyose no jutsu!"_

_POOF!_

The smoke and steam cleared, soon revealing…

"Yo. Hey, if you want me to do something, you should feed me first!"

Naruto gaped in disbelief. Ino's jaw dropped, Hinata covered her mouth with her hands, Vivi blinked, and Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched.

"Hey! Why are you starin' like that? You stupid or something?" The tiny toad asked. He was bright red colored, wearing a blue vest. The toad turned around, eyes widening in recognition.

"Yo, Jiraiya! Why'd you summon me?"

"Hey! _I_ summoned you!" Naruto protested. The larger toad in armor Jiraiya still sat on croaked in a low tone. The smaller toad blinked.

"Eh? Gama, you sure? So, he's the new summoner…"

The toad croaked a little more.

"EH?! You're _kidding! _Him?!"

Gamakichi turned and stared at Vivi. The little black mage stared back.

"Huh… There's something you don't see everyday…"

"I'm new," Vivi said awkwardly.

"Um, ex-excuse me," Hinata began. The small toad looked over at the Hyuuga girl.

"Oh! Sorry lady! Name's Gamakichi, what's yours?" The toad smiled, raising his non-existent eyebrows in a roguish way. Naruto scowled.

"Hey!"

"Yo, quiet down doofus, I'm talking here," Gamakichi sniffed. The blond seethed and summoned his Keyblade.

"Why you little-!"

"So uh, didn't catch your name before Dopey interrupted me," Gamakichi said in a smooth tone to the now slightly blushing Hinata. Behind him, Ino and Vivi held Naruto back.

"Let me at him! Let me at him!"

"Um, H-Hinata," Hinata replied awkwardly. The toad grinned.

"Hinata eh? Sunny name. You like swimming? Bet you'd fill out a swimsuit nice…"

"Oh that's _it!_ I'm _kicking your ass you perverted slimeball!"_ Naruto bellowed.

"I-um-er-ah…" Hinata stuttered, in mild disbelief that a _toad_ was hitting on her.

"_Way_ better than that flat blonde," Gamakichi went on. Ino growled, a stress mark popping on her forehead.

"FLAT?! _Who_ the _hell_ are you calling _flat you-?!"_

"Ino! Naruto!" Vivi shouted, tapping into his Might ability to hold both blondes back. It took considerable effort.

"Gamakichi, enough," Jiraiya ordered. "I'll be talking to you later."

"Yeah, yeah… Can she be here next time?" Gamakichi asked, indicating Hinata with a webbed hand.

"_THUND_-!"

"Okay, okay I'm going! _Sheesh_! Flat _and_ insecure," Gamakichi snorted, vanishing with a poof of smoke. Ino seethed, stomping over to where the toad had sat and kicking the rocks.

"That stupid-No accounting-_Perverted son of a-! O-O-OHHH!"_

"Well, at least you summoned a toad. Most beginners only manage a tadpole," Jiraiya offered. Naruto grumbled while Hinata continued to look awkward, gripping her upper forearm.

"That smug little… Who is _he_ calling doofus…?"

"Sorry," Hinata apologized.

"Hey, you didn't do anything wrong, Hinata-chan! It's that little bastard's fault-!"

Vivi coughed and clapped his hands, trying to regain the focus of the angry ninja.

"O-Okay! Who wants to learn magic now?"

He rummaged about in his pouch, and pulled out what appeared to be a tiny marble. Tapping it with his staff, it expanded into a large, basketball-sized crystal ball. It's coloration was a dull black.

"So what's the ball for?" Ino demanded.

"It's an elemental affinity orb," Vivi explained.

At the blank looks of the three genin, Jiraiya cut in.

"It's a tool used to determine someone's magical elemental sensitivity. Now, this doesn't mean you're restricted to one particular element, it just means your spells in that arena will be stronger than in others."

"So, what's yours Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked. Jiraiya sighed.

"Well kid, here's the thing. Throughout all the worlds, people can use magic, or they can use chakra, but most can't use both."

"But we can?" Ino asked with a grin. The Sannin nodded. He held the orb out in front of Ino, and it immediately displayed a spectrum of color. Strong bands of red and blue emerged, reflected in the blonde's widening eyes. Jiraiya grinned.

"Ah. Fire and water. Good for an aspiring black mage. Combined with a little wind magic and you can whip up your own storms."

"Really? That's great! I've _always_ wanted to do that!" Ino enthused.

"Never would have guessed," Naruto muttered to Hinata, the Hyuuga smiling. Ino thwacked him on the head.

"OW! Would you _stop_ doing that!" He demanded. Ino just stuck her tongue out. Jiraiya moved the orb in front of Hinata, and it glowed a mostly vibrant white with a few other thin bands of various colors gleaming.

"Holy element," Vivi breathed. "I haven't seen someone that strong in it since…" He trailed off. Jiraiya sighed.

"Well, that's great. I'm not much for White Magic… On the other hand, I do have a few artifacts to that effect," the Sannin explained. Pulling out another scroll, he unsealed it, revealing a pair of metal arm bands and a few rings.

"Okay. This ring casts a Protect spell, which created a protective shield around your body and minimizes physical damage," Jiraiya explained, handing over the indicated piece of jewelry. "This ring casts Shell, which creates a similar field, only it minimizes the damage from ninjutsu and offensive magical spells."

"W-What about the bands?" Hinata asked. Jiraiya grinned.

"Ah, those will be _very_ useful. They cast a spell that heals injuries, called _Cure_. And another, called _Esuna_, which removes ailments like poisoning, blindness, that sort of thing."

"She can also learn _Might_, and _Haste_," Vivi added. Naruto had finished signing the scroll and smiled even more broadly at the already red Hinata.

"That's awesome Hinata! You'll be great at White magic!"

Hinata blushed even harder, and tried very hard not to faint.

"Finally," Jiraiya said, holding the orb in front of Naruto. Naruto took it. Unfortunately, the ball didn't change color. Naruto frowned, confused, while Jiraiya hummed thoughtfully.

_Ahhh... I see the problem._

Hinata and Ino both looked concerned. Naruto looked up at Jiraiya.

"Huh? Hey, what gives?"

"Well, like I said, most people use either chakra, or magic, but they can't use both. There are very few people who can," Jiraiya explained. "Your case is rather unique, Naruto. You _can_ use magic, the Keyblade grants you that ability, but you have so much chakra that you have trouble bringing it out. As a result, the ball isn't working for you." Jiraiya smiled.

"So! You have two exercises to do from now on. You'll practice summoning, and you'll practice drawing your magic out."

"Okay, so, how do I do it?" Naruto asked. Jiraiya smiled.

"First... Envision your magic as a ball. And encasing that ball is a thick outer layer, like the shell of a nut."

"But... How do I envision my magic?" Naruto asked. Ino frowned.

"Well... For me, it feels like there's a little... Place inside me, that feels like... Twinkling stars."

"What do those feel like?" Naruto asked. Ino opened her mouth, then closed it. She looked over at Vivi, who shrugged.

"It feels like a cool energy inside me, that I just call upon."

"So, maybe you should try to find someplace inside of you that's cool?" Ino suggested.

"..." Naruto looked over at Hinata. "Hinata?"

"W-Well... When I touched the ball, I um... I felt like there was something warm like chakra, but... N-Not chakra inside me," Hinata said. "Something soothing, actually."

Naruto nodded, and looked back at the sphere. He closed his eyes.

"Okay... Okay..."

Naruto focused on his chakra, aware of it just as he was aware of the various parts of his body. He frowned, gripping the sphere more tightly, continuing to feel around inside himself.

_C'mon... C'mon..._

... _There...!_

He felt it. Just a glimmer, but... It brought to mind twinkling stars in the night sky above. That _had _to be his magic.

"I saw a flicker," Jiraiya said. "Good, he's found it."

"G-Good work, Naruto!" Hinata said. Ino raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

"Okay... Now, using your chakra control, you need to open up a hole in the shell of your chakra in order to get at your magic."

"Right... Hole... Shell..." Naruto focused. He gritted his teeth. It felt a little like trying to bail out a boat-The more chakra he "pushed" away, the more kept flowing in to take it's place.

"C'mon N-Naruto... I know you c-can do it," Hinata encouraged.

"Yeah Naruto... Just focus, you'll get it," Ino added as further encouragement.

"Nnngghh...!" Naruto focused, bending his chakra as much as he could... And he felt the twinkling stars-feeling again, stronger this time. He opened his eyes and saw the sphere light up, a mix of colors. He grinned broadly.

"YEAH! I DID... It?"

The sphere had gone dark again. Jiraiya chuckled.

"And that is the _last_ stage of the exercise," the Gama Sennin said. "Maintaining the hole in the shell to keep the magic coming."

"Oh," Naruto said. Hinata tapped her fingers together.

"At-At least you were able to get it to l-light up, Naruto," she consoled. Ino smiled.

"Yeah... Though honestly, _that_ much effort for that little payoff? The amount of chakra you have is unreal! I was able to do magic the first time I picked up a staff!"

"Yeah, but that's because you have almost _no_ chakra at all," Naruto said.

_BONK!_

"OW! QUIT IT!"

Ino smirked and turned to Vivi. "Vivi-sensei, do you have any larger staves I can use to hit his head with?"

"Oh that's _it!_ You're going _down,_ you power-crazed _wacko!"_ Naruto shouted, brandishing his Keyblade. Ino spun her staff around and winked.

"Bring it on, Whiskers!" She bellowed, her demeanor changing from playful, slightly violent girl to playful, utterly _psychotic_ girl. Naruto responded with a predatory grin.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"_

"_FIRA!"_

"_STRIKE RAID!"_

Hinata and Vivi watched as the two blonds engaged in furious combat, the pale-eyed girl looking aghast while the black mage merely looked exasperated. Jiraiya just grinned, and began writing more notes, opening his umbrella to shield himself from falling debris resulting from the numerous explosions occurring in front of him.

_Ah, sweet inspiration… "The mighty sorceress felt her will slipping as the dashing Keybearer wore down her defenses…"_

Noticing Hinata's concerned look, he smiled comfortingly at her.

"Oh, don't worry. They'll get this out of their system soon."

Hinata frowned, confused. The Sannin sprang the trap.

"This is probably just foreplay to them," he went on with a detached, scientific air. Vivi's glowing eyes rolled back into his head and he passed out. Hinata's eyes widened as her face burned bright red. Her grey eyes then narrowed.

"Excuse me," she said quietly, before standing up and rushing into the fray.

Jiraiya unsealed a camcorder. This just kept getting better and better…

- - - - - - - - - - - -

If Sakura had known that training with Sawada-sensei was going to be this rough…

"Urgghhhhhh!" She wheezed, sweat dripping off her forehead and falling to the ground far below. Sakura closed her eyes, _really_ not wanting to see the forest floor from where she was.

"Good, good… Keep your chakra balanced," the dragon-masked ANBU coached from a tree nearby. Sakura grunted and wobbled a bit on the top of the tall wooden pole she was currently doing hand stand on. Actually, it wasn't _really_ a handstand-More like a _pinky_ stand. Sakura took as deep a breath as she dared, putting as much of her concentration and will into maintaining her connection with the wood, keeping herself perfectly upright.

The dizzying stress of how high from the ground she was, not to mention her precarious position, all added to her anxiety about her choice of sensei. Sawada had done nothing but _watch _her perform this ridiculous exercise for _three hours_ now.

_She's toying with me, I know it,_ Sakura growled.

_**Smug bitch probably just wants us for a few good laughs,**_ Inner Sakura spat.

_Well, we'll fix her, we'll fix her good…_

"Okay… You can stop now," the ANBU at last said, and Sakura breathed a sigh of relief, swinging herself around to stand on the narrow pole. Sawada nodded.

"Good job. Now, how low on chakra would you say you are?" She asked. Sakura thought about it, taking a swig from her canteen.

"Uh… I think I'm at… ten percent, maybe?" She guessed. Sawada nodded again, and tossed her a small, green orb. Sakura caught it and frowned, looking it over.

"Wh… What's this?"

"It's called materia. It acts to focus your chakra into a certain elemental form. Just direct your _other_ chakra into it, while trying to imagine your energy taking the form you want it to. In this case, wind," Sawada lectured. Sakura frowned.

"It helps to say 'Aero' out loud while focusing your chakra into it," the ANBU further advised.

"'Aero'?" Sakura asked, as though tasting the word. Sawada nodded.

"Yes. Aero. Do it."

Sakura closed her eyes. Inner Sakura tapped into her own, strange cool chakra, pulling it up for her outer self to direct as she wanted to.

"Aero," she muttered. Instantly, she felt a strong warm breeze wrap around her body, and she opened her eyes. A visible whirlwind was swirling a few bare centimeters away from her body, like a protective bubble. She smiled broadly as Sawada nodded once more.

"Well done," the ANBU said. "Now, let's see if it serves its purpose."

"Its pur-?" Sakura began, but even as she opened her mouth Sawada was in front of her, punching for her chest. The blow hit the wind barrier and Sakura fell off the pole.

"EEEYYYYAAAAGGGHHHHH!" The genin screamed as the ground rushed up to meet her.

_BOOSH!_ When the whirlwind connected with the ground, Sakura felt it pushed against her, cushioning her impact. She landed on her feet, the wind reshaping itself now that she stood on the forest floor.

_**Holy shit! This is the best jutsu ever! SHANNARO!**_ Inner Sakura cheered.

Sakura grinned herself and laughed at her accomplishment. _This is… Incredible! Sawada-sensei… _

The ANBU looked down on her student from above, a small smile on her face behind her mask.

_Well… If nothing else, Maleficent gave me an assignment I can enjoy this time… At least, until…_

Sawada cut off any further thoughts of that nature. She had a mission to accomplish. For the moment, her student needed her. And that would have to be enough.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing, as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_This is officially my first story with over 1,000 reviews! Thank you all, my loyal readers! I am truly humbled by your devotion._

_Not many thoughts on this chapter. I am thankful to Captain Sarcasm and Nico Hana for proof reading again. You've been very helpful._

_Also: Check out __LadyLooLauren__ on Deviant Art Dot Com. She's doing covers for the chapters of Key Through the Heart, and could definitely use positive feedback and thanks for her hard work. _

_Until next time, enjoy some omakes!_

By Me: The Nanny Part 2

"Before we fight, let me warn you about one thing, Hinata-sama. Give-up. You're not suited to become a ninja. You are too kind. You seek harmony and avoid trouble. And you just go along and follow someone else's idea. And... You have no self-confidence. You always feel inferior. That's why you thought it would be fine to remain a Genin. But you cannot register for the Chuunin Exam unless there are three people. You couldn't refuse the offers from Kiba and your teammate...And the truth is that you are taking this exam unwillingly. Am I wrong?" Neji asked mockingly. He shook his head.

"And you seek to emulate our nanny. Truly, you are fated to be defeated-!"

_WHAM_! Everyone was shocked when Hinata, dressed in a black dress, white scarf, and umbrella, merely waved her hand and sent her cousin flying headfirst into the wall, knocking him unconscious.

"Bother! He seems the type to enjoy listening to the sound of his own voice, what?" Hinata sniffed in a British accent. She turned to Naruto and gave him a look.

"You WILL be joining me for tea after the tournament, Naruto, three o' clock sharp."

"Um, I will? I mean, I will!" Naruto confirmed, laughing nervously at the stern look Hinata gave him.

"You lucky dog Naruto! The quiet proper ones are always wild behind doors!" Kakashi whispered to him. Naruto blushed bright red, especially when Hinata got a very un-Hinata smirk on her face.

Hiashi, watching from the Hokage's personal seats, just blinked.

"I'd give Miss Poppins a raise, if I were you Hiashi-san," the Hokage grinned. "You don't know what she'll do to your youngest..."

By Melchior: Desert Friend

Naruto, Donald, and Goofy stared at the Sorcerer Jafar. Naruto looked across the desert,

before breaking into a grin.

"Donald, Goofy, stand back. I know just the thing to defeat this guy!" Naruto laughed.

His two companions backed away, while Jafar merely chuckled.

"I am the greatest sorcerer on this planet. What can you do to harm me?"

"Me? Not so much. That's why I'm bringing in help! Friendship Summon: Gaara!" Naruto slammed a palm to the ground, scrawling it with strange runes. Rising from the ground came a red-haired boy with dark eyes, a giant gourd on his back, and the kanji for 'Love' scrawled on his forehead.

"Another pathetic little 'ninja'? Don't make me laugh. Your silly ninjutsu is no match

for my spells."

"Yes, my normal ninjutsu is nothing to worry about," admitted Gaara, slowly raising his

left arm straight out to the side.

"But with my sand, I am invincible. Even your magics would be worn-out trying to kill

me." Gaara raised his right arm, mirroring his left. Jafar frowned and glanced at the

miles and miles of desert around him.

"And here? In this boundless desert, foolish man?" Jafar stared as the desert itself

seemed to withraw from him for an instant, before leaping forth in endless torrents,

blotting all from sight, even the sun.

"I. Am. A _God_. _Sabaku Taiso."_

By The Dog: What if Tenten's Dad Was…?

Naruto sat next to Rock Lee on one of the hospital's benches outside, the two looking up at the clouds as they did so.

Looking toward the blonde Jinchuuriki, Rock Lee smiled slightly as he said "Did you hear the news about TenTen?"

"No... What?" Naruto asked nervously, looking toward Rock Lee. The fuzzy browed one smile grew slightly as he said "The man who's claimed to be her father all these years really isn't."

"Really? Then who is?" Naruto asked. But before Rock Lee could answer, TenTen burst from one of the hospital's windows, covered in blood and wrestling with Orochimaru. With a primal scream and one hand clutching her opponet's throat, she turned in midair, causing Orochimaru to take the blunt of the impact against the ground.

Orochimaru yelled out in shock before snarling and sending his tongue toward her throat, only for TenTen to dodge the attack, grab it with her free hand, and reaching for her belt that once held Orochimaru's throat. Taking hold of a handle, she removed a large bowie hunting knife from its holster and swung it, slicing through the Snake Sannin's tongue easily.

As the snake sannin screamed in bloody pain, TenTen proceeded to wrap the tongue around his throat and use it to strangle him one-handed as she raised the knife high above her head, bringing it down with another primal scream...

Turning away, Naruto looked to Rock Lee as he asked "So... Who is her dad exactly?"

"Some strange foreigner known as "Brock Sampson"." Rock Lee said as TenTen stood up, wiping the blood from her knife onto her pants, and sheathing it as she smiled to Naruto.

Naruto, for his part, merely stared at the girl, a strange feeling growing in his gut, a feeling normally reserved for Sakura...


	25. It's The Training!

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Focus, Naruto… Reach deep inside you… Within you is a pocket that should feel like twinkling stars," Vivi said in a even, almost hypnotic voice. He stood next to Naruto, who was sitting in the Lotus position with his eyes tightly closed. The blond tried not to think about the uncomfortable rocks pressing into his legs and bottom, and did as the little mage instructed.

Through the warm chakra that had been readily available to him to summon, he caught a glimmer…

"I can feel it," he said, grinning but staying calm. Vivi nodded.

"Good… Now, pull it up, _slowly..._"

The Keyblade flashed into existence in Naruto's hand, and he held it in front of him, pointing it towards the sky. He kept his eyes closed, willing the magic into his weapon.

"Now, think of fire. Think of what fire needs. Air, heat and fuel. You have them all, you just need to combine them. Make them react, and release the flames. They are at your command, with only a word!" Vivi pressed.

Naruto opened his eyes, shooting up to his feet and bringing the Keyblade down, pointing at a nearby tree.

"_FIRE!"_ He roared.

_POOF!_ A small cloud of smoke and sparks emerged from the tip of the Keyblade.

"…" Gawked Naruto.

"…" Blinked Vivi.

"YOU IDIOT!" Ino bellowed. _BONK!_

"OW! OW! DAMNIT, WOULD YOU QUIT THAT YOU CRAZY-?!" Naruto shouted, holding the back of his head. Ino snorted in irritation, spinning her staff.

"We've been at this for _days, _and you _still_ can't make FIRE?!"

"It's harder than it looks, okay?!" Naruto snarled.

"I did it my _first_ try!" Ino growled. "What happened to learning the _Kage Bunshin_ in a few hours?"

"This is _different!_ It's like I have to dig all the way around for the magic through all my chakra!" Naruto complained. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Oh come _on!_ It can't be _that_ hard!"

"It wasn't hard for you because you don't _have_ that much chakra anyway!" Naruto retorted. Ino's eyebrow twitched.

"And just _what_ are you _implying_ by _that?"_ She got out, eyes narrowed. Naruto saw this… And grinned evilly.

"What? I'm not _implying _anything..."

"Then what the hell are you _grinning_ about, huh?!" Demanded Ino. Naruto just snickered.

"Oh, nothing at all… Ino-_sensei…_ Must be _easy_ to get at your magic, with so _little chakra!"_

"_THUNDER_!" She bellowed, and Naruto leaped out of the way of the blast. Covering his face with one hand to shield himself from the cast up rocks, he leveled a mocking grin at the seething girl.

"Ha! Your aim sucks!"

"Oh yeah?" Ino smirked. She focused and held out her staff.

"_FIRE!"_ She shouted, and Naruto instinctively leapt out of the line of the spell… Only to see the flame curve around and follow.

"OH SHI-!"

_BOOM!_

Hinata looked up from a few scrolls she'd been reading by the riverbank. Her eyes widened and she rushed over to Naruto's side.

"N-Naruto-kun! Are you all right?"

The Keybearer twitched and groaned, smoke rising from his charred clothing. Ino walked over and smirked.

"Ha! I can target my magic now! Thanks, Vivi-sensei!" She grinned, winking at the little black mage. Vivi's glowing eyes closed in his version of a smile.

"It was nothing… She got it just fine… Though she does have a lot less chakra to interfere…"

Ino groaned. "_Vivi-sensei!"_

"I'm-I'm sorry! I can't help that it's true!" Vivi protested.

Hinata clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.

"_Cure,"_ she murmured, and green energy that resembled scattered leaves erupted from her hands over Naruto's body. The burn marks vanished, and the blond held up his hands to his face.

_Wow…! That's even faster than when the fox healed me…_He grinned thankfully at Hinata, who blushed.

"Thanks Hinata-chan! You've really got that down!"

"It-It took a while to be able to do," the shy girl replied, tapping her fingers together. Naruto's grin turned bestial as he locked eyes with Ino.

"Well hey, you got it down at least, right? Me…" He looked glumly down at the Keyblade. Hinata smiled nervously.

"D-Don't worry, N-Naruto-kun… I'm s-sure you'll get it down…"

"Well, maybe we should hold off on black magic for now, since you haven't been able to get _any_ of the spells I've tried to teach you. I think you'll need support magic more than anything else," Vivi said reasonably. "I think the Reflect spell would work best as a starter."

"Reflect?" Naruto asked. Vivi nodded.

"Yes. It's White Magic, but you can learn it from this ring," he said, holding it up. "You use it to reflect spells back at your opponents. Very useful."

"I'll handle this, Vivi-sensei," Ino said with a smile, taking the ring from the black mage and walking back over to Naruto. She handed him the ring and began pushing him in the direction of a clearing nearby.

"Hinata, when we get back we'll try the Haste combat again, okay?" Ino called over her shoulder. Naruto groaned.

"Oh _man…"_

"Don't be such a baby!" Ino snorted. They finally reached the center of the clearing, and Ino stepped away from Naruto. She held out her staff, as Naruto slipped on the ring.

"So, what do we do first?" Naruto asked. Ino looked determined.

"Simple. I'm going to shoot spells at you, and you try to reflect them back at me," she said. Naruto sighed.

"Right… More _target practice_ for you, huh?" He groused. Ino crossed her arms over her chest and glared.

"Look Naruto. You haven't had any more luck with summoning, and you _suck_ at black magic. We have _two weeks_ before the finals, and you're going to need every advantage you can get to beat Neji, and after that…? Well, you'll probably face either that Gaara kid or Sasuke-kun."

Naruto grimaced, remembering the killing intent that the red headed Sand sibling had demonstrated. Ino's eyes softened a bit.

"Hey, I know it's a pain, but I don't want you to die, you know?"

Naruto blinked at her, silent. Ino frowned.

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

The blond just grinned, and Ino couldn't help the fluttering in her stomach from the sincerity of the smile.

"Thanks Ino-sensei… That means a lot to me," he said. Ino sighed and shook her head with a smile.

"All right… Ready?"

"Ready."

"_FIRE!"_

"_REFLECT!"_

_BOOM!_

"OW! OW! SON OF A-! SHIT!"

"Sorry! Sorry!"

"_NOW_ YOU SAY SORRY?!"

Vivi sighed in exasperation at the yelling, and then noticed the frown on Hinata's face. Her Byakugan was activated.

"Hinata?" He said gently. Hinata blushed.

"Oh! Sorry Vivi-sensei… You were saying?"

- - - - - - - -

"Gah…"

Hours later, Naruto was shuffling home, gritting his teeth against the burning aches and pains throughout his body. The Keyblade leaning against one shoulder, he smiled as his apartment complex came into view, a familiar dark shape against the shining stars.

"Home," he grunted happily, picking up his pace a little. He stretched, feeling a few muscles pop. In some ways he was glad for how few people lived around his area. It made him feel like he had a whole apartment building to himself… Which he had to pay triple the standard rent for, but still…

He came into his apartment through the window, stretching again with a yawn. Midway through, he noticed the fact that the lights were on.

_I don't think I left them on…_ Naruto sniffed the air.

_I also know I didn't cook anything…_ He shifted into a fighting stance and cautiously, silently walked towards the entrance to his bedroom. He froze.

_Someone's coming… But… It's not an enemy?_ He frowned, the signals the Keyblade were sending him somewhat confusing.

A familiar face peeked through the bedroom door, smiling cheerfully at Naruto.

"Hey Naruto! Perfect timing! I was just about to give up on you."

"Ayame-ane? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked incredulously. The ramen girl giggled a bit and shook her head.

"You haven't shown up at the stand _all week_, so I decided to come over and check up on you." The older girl frowned disapprovingly.

"And with good reason, too. You've got nothing but ramen in your cabinet! And your milk's gone bad!"

"Wait, wait… How did you get in here?" Naruto asked, blinking with the Keyblade hanging limply from his hand. Ayame shrugged.

"You left the door unlocked… Really Naruto, you should _know_ better!"

"Nobody would try to steal my stuff anyway; I'm like the only person in the building!" Naruto protested. Ayame sighed.

"Oh well… I made dinner. Come on," she said, turning and walking into the kitchen. Naruto followed and gaped at the spread on the table.

"Holy… This is great, Ayame-ane! You didn't have to do all this!" He gushed, sitting down and piling his plate with beef, rice, and vegetables. Ayame smiled and sat down across him him, putting some food on her own plate.

"No, but with the Chuunin Exams and all, I wanted to do something special for you," she admitted, almost shyly. Naruto grinned and began digging in, causing the ramen girl to giggle just a little.

_He hasn't changed since I met him, has he? Still the same messy eater…_

Ayame picked at her food, eating slowly, still keeping her eyes on the blond as he continued to eat like a starving man. She couldn't help but keep recalling all the times she'd seen him eat, shoveling away bowl after bowl of ramen into his mouth as though each were his last meal. Anger stirred in her heart as she recalled _why_ he ate so much. No grocer would sell him any food except the worst stock; no restaurant would let him in but theirs.

She could still remember seeing him at their stand, so small and innocent looking, barely able to peer over the counter as he sniffed the smell of ramen cooking. When her father had laid eyes on him he'd cringed, as though expecting to be yelled at.

"_Here. Take a seat. You want some ramen, right?"_ _He said to the little boy with a kind, honest smile. Ayame smiled with her father, and slowly the boy pushed himself up onto the stool. He looked up and two shockingly blue eyes peered back at her, questioning, hopeful._

"_Ramen?" He asked plaintively. Her father chuckled, and set out a steaming bowl of miso._

"_Here, give it a try. I guarantee you'll like it!" He enthused. The little boy clumsily held some chopsticks between his fingers and dipped them down into the broth, collecting noodles and tugging them up to his mouth. Hesitantly he slurped some of them into his mouth, and he made a pleased sound. The boy dove in, furiously devouring the ramen with a speed that left both Ayame and her father gaping in astonishment. The boy finished with a happy sigh and held out the bowl again with a grin._

"_More please, dattebayo!" He shouted, a broad smile on this otherwise downtrodden looking little boy warming Ayame's heart and bringing a smile to her own face._

"_Certainly," her father said with a big grin, preparing more noodles…_

"Hey, Ayame-ane?"

Ayame blinked, seeing those same brilliant blue eyes right in front of her own. She blushed furiously.

"Um, yes?" She managed quietly. Naruto drew his face back and pointed down at her plate.

"Um… You going to eat that?" He asked, indicating her mostly full plate. Ayame blinked and looked at the food she'd set out. She sighed with a small smile at how empty the plates and bowls were.

_Probably shouldn't be surprised…_

"In a bit," she said. Naruto sat back down and frowned thoughtfully at her. Ayame blinked.

"Something wrong?"

"Hm? Oh, no. Just remembering when you first came to the ramen stand," the girl confessed sheepishly, smiling at the blond. Naruto blushed a little and smiled back.

"Really? I… I remember that too."

"You should," Ayame commented with a smirk. "I _still_ have no idea how you pack it all away."

"Er, good living?" Naruto offered. Ayame laughed.

"So, what _have_ you been up to that's kept you away from the ramen stand so much?" She asked pointedly. Naruto sighed, leaning back in his chair slightly.

"Training," he groaned. "Have to be ready for the exam finals."

"How is that going? Are you learning a lot? Who is training you?" Ayame asked, interested. Naruto grinned.

"Well, it's going pretty well so far. Mostly it's just been training my speed and taijutsu with some of my friends. Though I am working on this _really_ cool spe-er, jutsu one of them taught me."

"What does it do?" Ayame asked. Naruto smiled.

"It basically creates this bubble of chakra around me that bounces anything that hits it right back at whoever threw it, like a kunai, or fire blast."

"That sounds incredible! I've never heard of such a technique," Ayame enthused. Naruto shrugged, rubbing the back of his head modestly.

"Well, it _will_ be if I get it down. I can never quite get the right… Chakra to power it."

"Eh? Right chakra?" Ayame asked. Naruto shrugged.

"It's… Complicated. Ninja stuff. But, all the training I'm doing should help me get it down!"

The blond winced as he recalled just _how_ he was training those things. Alongside the spell training he'd been going through, every day Ino and Hinata double teamed him afterwards, attacking furiously in a sparring brawl. Ino could direct her spells into her staff, which made her dangerous at both long and short range, while Hinata, as she seemed to spar more and more with him, got more confident and began showing off more of that famed Hyuuga speed. Which resulted in his _tenketsu_ points being closed. Painfully.

It had gotten even harder when Hinata had mastered the Haste spell. Though the Keyblade gave him cues for where to block and how to strike back, if he wasn't _fast_ enough to execute the moves properly he was screwed.

_Just like with Sasuke and Lee…_

A thought occurred. _Hey wait… Lee doesn't use chakra to get so fast… So maybe… What if I didn't…?_

Noticing Ayame's expectant look, Naruto decided to save the thought for later.

"Oh, and this old hermit's teaching me summoning and a few basic jutsus to help with that," Naruto added. Ayame smiled.

"Wow! Summoning? Really? What do you summon?"

"Toads," Naruto said simply. Ayame blinked. Naruto sighed.

"I'm not joking."

"I wasn't going to say you were," Ayame said with a smile. "I remember seeing the Fourth Hokage ride a giant toad into battle… The night the… Um…"

"Kyuubi attacked?" Naruto prompted. Ayame smiled at his nonchalant expression.

"Yeah… It was so amazing, seeing what happened. The light, the tails…"

"Well, I can't summon _that_ big toad… But I will! Just you wait; we'll go hopping anywhere you like when I do, _dattebayo_!" Naruto grinned. Ayame smiled.

"I'll hold you to that, Naruto…"

The two made mostly small talk while Ayame finished her meal, and it wasn't too long before her gaze drifted to a small, beat up clock on the counter. Her eyes widened at how late it was.

"Dad's going to kill me," she groaned, getting up and putting her plate in the sink, preparing to wash it. Naruto came up to her side and took the plate away, grinning at her.

"It's okay, Ayame-ane! I'll take care of it. Later. When I get back."

"Get back…?" She asked. Naruto frowned.

"From walking you home."

"Naruto-!" Ayame began to protest, but Naruto just crossed his arms and gave her a determined look she was all too familiar with. She sighed in defeat.

"All right…"

Naruto grinned as he led her out the door. It was amazing, really. After his hard day of training he'd felt like he was ready to drop, but after that nice dinner and conversation with Ayame, he felt back to one hundred percent!

_Definitely perks to eating things other than ramen,_ he reflected as he and his surrogate big sister came out of the building entrance and headed down the dark street.

Far above, in the shadows of a building, two observers watched Naruto and the ramen girl walk towards the civilian district of the village. One stared, unblinking, studying the blond with a frightening intensity. The other divided her attention between the target and her little brother's reactions to him.

_Why is he out here? Why is he always out here, watching him?_ Temari wondered. She couldn't understand it… The Uzumaki boy wielded the Keyblade, true… And that killing intent of his had been familiar.

Frighteningly familiar…

The whisker marks on his face… The taste of his chakra… A terrible theory was beginning to form in Temari's mind.

Who else but a fellow demon container would arouse Gaara's interest? A demon container who seemed idiotic, maybe, but when his demon was unleashed…

Temari shook her head and stared. This boy… He was talking, _laughing_ with that girl. She didn't fear him. She was a civilian, unable to hide or deceive a kunoichi of Temari's caliber with her body language. There was no lie in her smiles, her eyes.

The boy was also at ease, also happy, without insanity or rage hidden behind a thin veneer of humanity. Temari knew foxes were tricksters, but something told her that this was truly as the boy was.

_Uzumaki Naruto… _She shook her head, eyes darting between her brother and the blond far below. So different, yet both with demons inside them?

_I need to know more… _

Naruto paused and turned back, frowning, gaze sweeping the rooftops. Temari froze, wondering if he'd spotted her. Only a few meters away Gaara remained equally still, sheltered by the shadows of a water tower.

The ramen girl frowned and asked if something was wrong, too far away to be heard but her lips easily read by Temari. The blonde shook his head, muttered about "hearing something", before turning back to the girl, broad grin returning.

They continued on their way, unaware of the two Suna ninja they were leaving behind. Both determined to learn more about their quarry, but only one wanting him alive to answer their questions…

- - - - - - - - - - -

The kimono was racy to begin within, but a few helpful hints from Anko had it cut to an almost scandalous level. Not enough to get arrested, of course. Ending up in jail was not in Kurenai's plans; unless it got Hiashi in as well, and Kurenai had drawn up a few contingency plans for that.

But, she was content to stick with her original plot. It would be calling in a favor Anko owed her, but she comforted herself with the fact that she owed several more to the genjutsu mistress.

Checking her reflection in a pocket mirror, Kurenai pressed her lips together, spreading a deep red lipstick she favored. She winked and smirked.

Hyuuga Hiashi was going down tonight.

She prepared her genjutsu accordingly and made her way to the Hyuuga compound, a henge only displaying her in her standard uniform. The guards let her in, one raising an eyebrow at how late the jounin was meeting with Hiashi but saying no more.

She knew the way to the sitting room by memory by now, and patiently waited for Hiashi to appear. Kurenai could barely contain a smirk, her anticipation growing.

The Hyuuga lord soon appeared dressed in an elegant evening robe over purple silk pajamas. He spared her a cursory nod and sat across from her.

"Yuuhi-san, what brings you here tonight?" Hiashi asked in his usual flat, 'why-are-you-wasting-my-time' tone. Kurenai smiled.

"Hyuuga-sama, I merely wished to give a report on your daughter's current training program," she began. Hiashi frowned.

"I do not understand why this has to be held at so late a time," he pointed out. Kurenai bowed slightly.

"My apologies, Hyuuga-sama, but I could not meet with you at any earlier a time," she demurred, looking up through her eyelashes in an expression she had practiced several times in the mirror. Anko termed it "Bedroom Eyes no jutsu", and the results were worth the 'training'.

Hiashi flushed, ever so slightly, and coughed. Kurenai kept her inner glee restrained. _Phase one, complete!_

"Discuss this training you have devised," Hiashi stated in a slightly more strained tone. Kurenai smiled, making it a touch sultrier than she usually did. The Hyuuga lord's cheeks reddened just a little bit more.

"Very well, though it is rather extensive. Do you have any tea?" She asked politely, dropping her lower lip into a _very_ slight pout. Kurenai couldn't help but love the power she suddenly held over the richest, most politically influential man in the village, as he coughed and _again_ averted his eyes!

_So much like Hinata, _she thought.

"C-Certainly," Hiashi coughed. He cleared his throat and called out of the room. "Tea!"

A few moments later, a servant girl arrived. Instead of tea, however, she brought a bottle of rather expensive-looking sake and two bowls.

"My apologies, Hiashi-sama, but we are currently out of tea," the girl replied, and judging from the mark on her lowered forehead she was of the Branch house.

"Will sake suffice?"

"Sake will be fine," Kurenai assured the girl, and before Hiashi could protest the girl set it down and with a final bow, padded out of the room. Kurenai smiled demurely and took the bottle, pouring herself a bowl, bending over _very_ slightly. Her henge just showed her standard outfit, but she could tell that Hiashi was watching her _very_ closely.

"You first, Hiashi-sama," she said respectfully, presenting the bowl with her sultry smile. Hiashi coughed again, and Kurenai tilted her head in an innocent manner.

"Hiashi-sama, are you all right? You seem somewhat flushed. You're not ill, are you?" She asked. Hiashi managed a glower, which in his current state seemed more like a pout. Her smile grew just a little.

"Get to the point, Yuuhi-_san,"_ he emphasized, clearly irritated. Kurenai waited for him to take a sip of his bowl.

"She's currently training in advanced taijutsu with Uzumaki Naruto."

Hiashi, rather than spitting out his sake (as she'd hoped he would) instead choked on the warm alcohol, coughing and sputtering.

"_WH-WHAT?!"_ He fairly screeched. Kurenai gawked, as though surprised at his outburst, while Inner Kurenai did a victory dance.

_Oh, if I only had a camera! Damnit, knew I forgot something…_

"Well, the two have developed a good relationship and Uzumaki _is_ extremely talented in hand to hand," Kurenai explained. She shrugged.

"I currently require as much time as possible to get Aburame Shino, the only one of my students going to the finals, prepared. So, I felt it was best-"

"You _felt_ it was _best?!"_ Hiashi snarled angrily. "He's-! I mean, _that-!"_

"He's _what,_ Hiashi-sama?" Kurenai asked quietly, with a hint of danger in her tone. She'd idolized the Fourth Hokage as a little girl and had tried to treat Naruto with respect, and after everything he'd done (and learning of Hinata's crush) had felt somewhat protective of the _jinchuuriki._

"He…!" Hiashi coughed, trying to regain his composure. "You… May not be, ah, _aware_ of this, Yuuhi-san, but my daughter… She, well… She has… _Feelings_ for Uzumaki."

Kurenai blinked. Hiashi blinked back at her. Kurenai poured herself a bowl of sake, and downed it easily, her face turning slightly red.

"… Hiashi-sama, _everyone_ knows that!" She expressed in exasperation. "Every _single person_ in this village _knows_ that _your daughter_ has a crush on _Uzumaki Naruto,_ save for _Naruto_ himself!"

"Yes, and the less time he spends with her, the less chance there is of him _figuring that out._ So make. Her. _Stop,"_ Hiashi growled. Kurenai scowled, her low tolerance for alcohol already slightly impairing her judgment. Of course, the fact that her revenge was taking such an unexpected twist, and that _now_, after all his dismissals and disinterest, that _now_ he was taking an interest in his daughter's training…!

"You have _no_ authority to make me change _anything_ about how I run my _team,_ Hiashi-_sama,"_ she stated angrily. "And I find it _rich_ that you are taking an _interest_ in your daughter's _well being_ now!"

Hiashi slammed a fist on his desk and glared right back at Kurenai.

"I will _not_ be insulted in my own house by a _common_ _ninja!"_

"Oh really? Let's see how _common_ I am, you egomaniacal, self-righteous asshole!" Kurenai snarled back. Hiashi's Byakugan activated, and Kurenai had the presence of mind to initiate the final phase of her plan.

Hiashi, furious, was already feeling himself prepared for battle. His Byakugan saw the genjutsu already around Kurenai, and he narrowed his eyes, scanning through it.

_So, she came prepared? Is she here to assassinate me? Is she a spy disguised as Yuuhi… San…?_

He stared. Blood dripped slightly out of his nostrils. Kurenai smirked, and dropped her henge, opening the kimono and unveiling her _bare chest_ to the Hyuuga lord.

_FWUMP!_ Hiashi fell back, eyes spinning, blood gushing from his nose. Kurenai sighed.

"You can peep on me when I'm fully clothed without batting an eyebrow, but when I'm naked, _that's_ when you pass out?" She muttered, feeling vaguely insulted. Kurenai took a swig of the sake and grinned.

_Revenge complete…_ And the best part was Hiashi couldn't do a damn thing! Not unless he wanted to admit to being a perv...

"Ooooh…" She murmured, the genjutsu mistress beginning to feel light headed. She tried to stand up but the room just spun more. Closing her eyes, she too fell unconscious, her kimono open and revealing her entire body to any would-be voyeur.

Hanabi entered the room, grinning evilly. She turned to the servant girl and gave her a thumbs up.

"Phase two, complete! Now, help me with phase three!"

"Yes, Hanabi-sama," the servant girl replied, smiling a bit evilly herself as she helped the small Hyuuga heiress drag her father away. This scheme of hers would _definitely_ increase the morale in the Branch house…

A floor above, Hinata slept blissfully on, her dreams filled with a certain blond shinobi.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Tsume Tenten leaned against a tree, the clearing where her team usually met for training and practice slowly brightening in the light of the rising sun. She stifled a yawn, and checked her watch.

_Five minutes to go…_ She absently wondered if waiting for men was going to be a common occurrence in her life. Tenten resumed leaning against the tree, closing her eyes. She _loathed_ getting up early in the morning. Very much a night owl, the fact she was on a team of early risers _still_ pissed her off to no end.

She bit her lip. That was right. Lee was no longer…

"Tenten."

At the sound of Neji's voice, she opened her eyes. The Hyuuga prodigy stood before her, stoic as ever, arms crossed over his chest. She pushed herself up to her feet.

"Neji."

The Hyuuga eyed her carefully. "I have asked you here to help me with training."

She blinked.

"In what?"

Neji's face became somewhat strained. To anyone else it would have been a momentary twitch, but Tenten could read Neji's facial expressions pretty well after over a year on the same team. He was… Nervous?

"Tenten… Can I trust you?" He asked.

The weapons mistress managed to hide her astonishment at _Hyuuga Neji,_ of all people, asking her that. She really, _really_ looked at him, and saw what it was. She sucked in a deep breath.

Neji was… _Vulnerable._ Opening up, just a crack, but still…

She knew she had to tread carefully here. This was a chance that, if she screwed it up, she would _never_ have another. Neji would close right back up if she made a false move.

"Neji… We're on the same team. We've been on missions together, and we've covered each other's backs in battle. That requires _trust._ If you're on my team, then I'm going to look out for you." Tenten bit her lower lip. This part would be kind of delicate, but she wasn't about to be dishonest.

"Even if you're a pompous, self-centered _asshole_, I do care about you. You, Lee, and Gai. And the last thing I would ever do is betray or harm you."

Neji raised an eyebrow, ever so slightly. Tenten sighed.

"And Naruto is my friend, Neji, but that _doesn't_ mean I'm going to tell _him_ about anything _you_ don't want me to. Okay?"

Neji stared at her. Tenten stared back. The silence continued, and just when Tenten thought she had failed miserably… The Hyuuga prodigy visibly relaxed, and his lips twitched upwards for only a second.

_He smiled! Yes! Yes! _Tenten thought, her inner self doing a victory dance. Neji nodded and turned away.

"Very well…"

Tenten followed at a short distance as Neji walked into the center of the clearing. He turned around.

"The Main House of the Hyuuga Clan has maintained several techniques that it has held over the heads of the Branch House," he began, eyes narrowed. Tenten held back a sigh. She was _very_ familiar with Neji's "Curse the Main House" rants. Still, he was her friend… Sort of… So she listened patiently.

"Among the strongest is the _Kaiten._ The ultimate defense in hand to hand contact. I have seen it used by the Hyuuga elders, and I can duplicate the technique. I require your assistance in perfecting the technique."

Tenten nodded. "What do we do first?"

"First, I need to duplicate the spin they employ," Neji stated. Tenten stepped back, as Neji held his arms out. He raised one knee up, before pressing it down and swinging his arms around. He pirouetted on his toe, kicking the ground in order to keep up his rotation.

"… Um, looks good so far," Tenten offered with a straight face, reflecting that Lee would _kill_ to see Neji, his Eternal Rival, spinning around like a ballerina.

Neji continued his spinning until he was satisfied he could maintain his balance perfectly.

"What's the next step?" Tenten asked.

"The _Kaiten_ creates a dome of pure chakra, an impenetrable barrier of energy," Neji continued. "It is made by rapidly expelling chakra from every _tenketsu_ point on my body."

"So, the spinning creates a rotation effect to make the dome?" Tenten asked. Neji nodded.

"Yes. The Elders thought I could not decipher the means by which the technique is performed. But Fate has shown me the means. Stand back, Tenten."

Tenten complied, getting some distance between her and Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy took a deep breath.

"_Byakugan,"_ he murmured, his bloodline emerging. Chakra began to emerge from every point on his body, his aura quickly being consumed by bluish flames. They abruptly stopped and faded, and for a moment Tenten thought something had gone wrong.

"_KAITEN!"_ He bellowed, releasing massive amounts of chakra as he spun, holding his arms out. Tenten watched, fascinated, as the streams of energy were shaped into a dome around Neji. The technique was truly amazing, and the fact that Neji had gotten it _this fast-!_

_Fwip._

Tenten blinked as something fell on her head. Reaching up, she pulled it off and stared at the object in her hand. A white, elastic, ripped boxer-briefs shaped object. She turned back just as Neji disengaged the jutsu. She was _acutely_ aware of the torn clothing littering the area.

And the very pale, very mortified looking, very _naked_ Hyuuga genius standing before her.

"…"

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out as her cheeks burned bright red. Coughing and dropping the torn underpants, she averted her gaze as Neji tried to preserve _some_ sense of modesty, covering his crotch with his hands.

"Um… Neji… Why don't we… Pick this up… A little later, ahem… After you get some more clothes… I think my uh… Goldfish is on fire."

_Oh yeah, real convincing,_ Inner Tenten scoffed.

Neji nodded stiffly. Tenten turned away mechanically, walking away slowly, her cheeks bright red.

_It's okay,_ Neji thought to himself, _after all it's Tenten. You can _trust_ her. You can _trust-

The brunette girl stopped after her tenth step, shaking violently, before collapsing into a fit of hysterical laughter. Neji sighed.

_Damnit…_

- - - - - - - - - - -

The same morning, Naruto was standing at the riverside, standing in a somewhat meditative stance. He narrowed his eyes in concentration. Jiraiya was sitting on a blanket under an umbrella nearby, watching patiently.

"So, think you can do it this time?" The Sannin asked. Naruto smirked.

"Definitely!" The blond shot a glare at his sensei. "No thanks to you!"

Jiraiya held up his hands.

"Hey! Your learning style works best by me showing you the basics, and then letting you do it and figure it out on your own! You'll never get anywhere if I watch you like a hawk at all times."

"And while I'm practicing, you're off doing what? Peeping as usual?" Naruto snorted. Jiraiya sighed.

"C'mon, show me what you've got."

"All right, I will!" Naruto huffed, turning back towards the river and beginning to form hand seals.

_Snake… Ram… Monkey… Boar… Horse… Tiger…_

Naruto took a deep breath, feeling his lungs fill with chakra as he completed the hand seals. He breathed out.

_Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!_ He thought, as his mouth was occupied with releasing a large fireball. It blasted out over the stream and slammed into a boulder, blasting it with chakra-enhanced super hot flames.

The blond grinned and whooped.

"YEAH! All right! That's _way_ bigger than anything Sasuke's done!" He cheered. Jiraiya smirked.

"Well, it's about time you got it right…"

"Hey, I got it in an hour after reading it in the scrolls! _Way_ faster than I even mastered _Kage Bunshin_! Say… Why aren't we all taught this jutsu in the Academy anyway? It's awesome!" Naruto enthused. Everyone at the Academy had lauded Sasuke for his mastery of fire jutsus, but having learned one himself Naruto could say it wasn't all _that_ impressive.

The _Goukakyuu_, for instance, only required you to make a few hand seals, provide a decent amount of chakra, and breathe out. With his massive chakra capacity, he could easily outmatch Sasuke fireball for fireball, even with his comparatively poor chakra control. This was a jutsu you didn't worry about overloading-The more chakra you poured into it, the better. It should have been perfect for him. All the pranks he could have done with it…

His inner pyromaniac roused, Naruto felt a foxy grin emerge on his face. The Sannin saw this and shook his head.

"_That_ would be the reason," Jiraiya pointed out. "We'd have a whole village of genin setting things on fire. Or, if they put too much chakra into the blast, like _you_ do, we wouldn't have a village at all."

Naruto scowled. "Hey! I wouldn't blow anything up…"

Jiraiya raised his eyes brows.

"… Okay, maybe I would," Naruto amended. "So, why are you teaching me this one now?"

"Simple. Toads can spit highly potent oils for attacks. Combine it with fire and you've got a very effective means of burning your enemies alive," Jiraiya said with a grim smile. Naruto nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, _that's_ a pleasant thing to hear about first thing in the morning," a familiar female voice huffed. Naruto turned and saw Ino standing near the river bank, Hinata and Vivi flanking her.

"Morning Hinata-chan! Vivi-sensei! Ino-chan-WOAH!"

Naruto ducked the small fire ball Ino shot at him. She raised her eyebrow.

"Ino-_sensei,"_ the Keybearer grumbled. Ino grinned and twirled her staff around.

"Heh…You'd think you'd get it down after a _week…"_

"Well you haven't taught me anything!" Naruto protested.

"I have too, and I'll prove it! _FIRE!"_ She shouted, letting loose a fire blast not from her staff but from her hand. Naruto, in his anger, formed the ram seal over the handle of the Keyblade, but after practicing so long with the magic-wielding girl the day before, the action he performed wasn't a jutsu, but a spell.

"_REFLECT!"_ He shouted, as a scarlet bubble of energy flashed into existence around him. The fire spell bounced against the shield and zipped right back at its caster. Ino's eyes bugged out of her skull just before the blast hit her.

_KABOOM!_

Naruto grinned, spinning the Keyblade around in triumph, as the blonde girl coughed, glaring at him with a positively _venomous _scowl: The effect of which was completely ruined by her blackened face and burned clothing.

"You-! I-!" She sputtered, looking like she was about to go into a rant. Naruto's grin grew just a bit more smug, as Hinata covered her mouth to hide a smile and Vivi's eyes turned into crescents.

The blonde kunoichi sighed, and shook her head, a slow smile growing on her face.

"Well… Not bad at all… I thought you _still_ couldn't get it?" Ino asked. Naruto shrugged.

"Well, if I can't do it with magic, I'm going to do it with chakra. It's a hell of a lot easier for me!" he said with a grin. He gawked, Ino's last words processing in his brain.

"What?! You _shot_ me with that spell not knowing if I had mastered it?!"

"Looks like I know what I'm talking about, hm?"

Jiraiya smirked as Ino managed a pain-filled beam. Hinata blushed and smiled happily at Naruto, whose indignant expression slowly morphed into a broad smile.

Vivi, however, frowned.

"One problem. _Blizzard!"_ The little mage stated, shooting a bolt of ice at Naruto. The blond yelped as the frozen burst of magic hit him square in the chest and sent him crashing to the ground.

Jiraiya smirked.

"Indeed. Chakra has some advantages over magic, but one it does not have is longevity. Unless you keep up a constant stream of chakra into a jutsu, it will only last for maybe an instant."

Naruto scowled, his teeth chattering.

"S-So what? I-I only n-n-need it t-to work f-for an in-instant!" He got out. Ino smiled a bit impishly.

"Well, considering how much he's going to be running around, it probably only _needs_ to work for a second or two. He can always recast it, right?"

Vivi looked thoughtful, and nodded.

"True…"

"Besides, it only needs to last long enough to deflect one jutsu or attack," Jiraiya added. He smiled down at his still-shivering student, as Hinata crouched next to him and focused her own magical abilities.

"_Warmth,"_ Hinata murmured, and Naruto flushed as the ice melted and his body temperature returned to normal.

"Thanks Hinata-chan," he said gratefully, and the Hyuuga heiress blushed.

"Y-You're welcome…"

"So, what do I learn next?" Naruto asked. Ino and Vivi glanced at each other, before looking at Jiraiya. The Gama Sennin smiled unpleasantly.

"Oh, I have a _few_ ideas…"

Naruto couldn't help but gulp.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Hiashi nuzzled deeper into the warm, fleshy pillows. _Mm, even my import pillows don't feel this good… I'll have to buy more…_

A feminine sigh reached his ears, and Hiashi became aware of a pair of arms around his shoulders. He frowned. _Wait a minute…_

He opened his eyes. Hiashi found himself staring into hooded red irises. A familiar, ruby red mouth opened. He felt his own mouth open as well.

"_AAAAAAAUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"_

Far away, despite his nudity under the quick henge he'd made, when Neji heard that scream… He smiled very slightly, and continued on his way to the Hyuuga compound.

- - - - - - - - -

_Edit 11/24/07:__ Extended the walk home with Ayame with Temari and Gaara watching Naruto (scene marked with a ). As well as correcting a few grammar and spelling mistakes._

_Wow… Over 1,000 reviews… Incredible… Though if you subtract all the anonymous "Narusaku" reviews it's more like… 950 something, but still! Truly incredible. I am humbled by your love of my story._

_Speaking of which: To the anonymous reviewer who keeps demanding NaruSaku? Cursing me out and threatening me, not to mention constant reviewing with only one word STILL has not convinced me to acquiesce your request. In other words, NO NARUSAKU. DEAL WITH IT. As this IS a Naruharem fic, Sakura MAY, I repeat, MAY be part of it. But I'm not telling, and I'm not making the entire focus of the story on just one pairing anyway._

_Okay, rant's over._

_To all of you who thought Naruto was weak? Well, who's weak now, huh? Sure, I'm not showing a whole lot of his training (In this chapter, just wait for it, it's only the first full week after all), but he can certainly kick ass. And he HAS kicked ass since the beginning, thank you._

_Special thanks to Renalin for helping me with the Neji/Tenten scene. Check out her stories, she's a spectacular writer. And no, this does NOT mean Neji and Tenten will be a couple. Just so you know._

_Also, a big thanks to The Fanfiction Forum for all their help as well._

_Next chapter, we'll catch up with Sakura and Sawada (Who is NOT Maleficent. You'll never guess who she really is, bwahahaha! Go ahead, try, I DARE you, guess!), Hiashi and Kurenai in "The Morning After", and more fun with Sasuke in Traverse Town. See you next time!_

_Now, if I show you guys more omakes, will you promise not to just comment on those? Because the name of the fic is "Key Through the Heart", not "Omakes of Key Through the Heart". You promise? Okay, here you go:_

By Captain Deoxys: Red eyes vs. Green eyes

Uchiha Itachi is usually a very fearless and emotionless kind of guy. He

never flinched or ran in terror from a fight, no matter how much killer intent

the opponent had. Hell, he could have Satan glare at him in the face and he

would just stare back like it was a teddy bear looking at him. But today would

be an exception. He and his partner, Hoshigaki Kisame, were currently

tracking down the Kyuubi jinchuuriki, Uzamaki Naruto in the Olympus coliseum

and Itachi was currently getting ready to start the platinum match, and

was confident he would win, though he didn't show it outwardly.

"Are you sure that idiotic dumb blonde of a jinchuuriki is here, Itachi?"

Asked his gruff sounding team mate Kisame. "If he isn't than why are we

participating in this tournament anyway?"

"Kisame, we need the money for our organization and this is the closest thing

to get money from." Itachi said coolly.

He entered the stadium, Ready to fight his opponent. Suddenly he was starting

to feel regret of gong in the stadium, and felt like leaving, but he stayed

anyway. Suddenly, a gold light composed of three orbs appeared in the sky and

three beam shot down combining into one as it went down appeared and crouched

down in the middle was a tall man with long, silver hair dressed in black with

silver shoulder pads and a bluish black wing coming out of his back with

menacing green eyes. He was unleashing a killer intent that would make even

Satan dive in a vat of acidic holy water. Itachi, for the first time in his

life, was downright Horrified. The wing stretched out, as, the man turned

around showing green eyes with a could fiery rage and power that was

rivaled by no one else through out entire universes. A being with truly

godlike abilities beyond comprehension. His name… Is Sephiroth. He had his

left hand on his sword, ready to used it as Itachi looked into Sephiroth's

purely evil eyes.

"Boo," Sephiroth simply stated.

"AHHHHH!" Itachi screamed like a girl, and with a cry of forfeit he ran at a speed

that sonic the hedgehog would envy.

"That was boring." Sephiroth stated." Maybe I over did the entrance a little.

Oh well. So, who's next?"

By Me: Back to the What?

The vehicle was certainly bizarre. Its surface was like the surface of a poorly shined forehead protector, an angled yet sleek skin for the object. Bars at the front of the vehicle between four eye-like lamps (two white, two yellow) framed three odd symbols. One shaped like a bow, the second shaped like two lines angled into a point locked between two straight lines, and the last like the crescent moon, only thinner.

It held two seats, and was mounted on four wheels, but like no wheels Naruto had ever seen before. They were metallic on the inside, but firm and bouncy on the outside, like flattened rice balls. The black material was like nothing Naruto had seen or felt before. The rear of the vehicle, in addition to red and yellow lights arranged like a sign, packed various wires and gadgets whose purpose Naruto could only guess at. Two vents, similar to those on air conditioning units Naruto had seen, stuck out from the back of the vehicle, and nestled between them was a tall white cylinder with a strange foreign language written all over it.

"What the hell is it?" Naruto asked, awe-struck, as the bizarre contraption ambled out of the shed that had been holding it, backwards he assumed, judging by which direction the driver was facing. Said driver emerged from the vehicle, it's broad windows clearly showing it's two-seat interior covered in gadgets and glowing lights, just like the rest of the thing.

The maniacal grin on Jiraiya's face was not helping Naruto's anxiety level.

"It's better to show you, brat! Hop in!"

Naruto glared. "Just what the heck is this, Ero-Sennin?"

"You'll see..."

Ten minutes later (or sixteen years before-God I hate time travel...)

Naruto gaped at a tall, beautiful woman with pink hair. She smiled happily at him and his teacher.

"Hello Jiraiya, how are you?"

"Not bad, Haruno-san... I've heard that you've been looking for someone to fix your pipes," the Toad Sage remarked with a wink. The pink-haired woman giggled pervertedly.

"Why yes! Won't you both come in?"

Naruto dragged Jiraiya off to the side angrily. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"

Jiraiya smirked. "Well, one of us is going to be Sakura's father... Want to flip a coin?"

"EEEEYYYYYYYAAAAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

Back in the future, Hinata smirked evilly. If THIS didn't get Naruto off his fixation on that pink-haired brat, nothing would!

By SJC: What if Tenten's Mom was…?

Kiba: Hey Naruto have you heard the news about Tenten.

Naruto: No what?

Kiba: Turns out her mom was from another world that got destroyed. And she's got some sort of weird kekkei genkai.

Naruto: Really what is it?

Kiba: Well she.

Watchman: Orochimaru approaches with an army of ninja and Heartless. All Ninja to battle stations. All civilians to the shelters.

Suddenly a strange Sheeooow sound was heard

Naruto: What is that?

Tenten laying flat on a strange white machine was flying towards the oncoming army. Tenten then drops off the strange machine holding a sword in-front of the army.

Tenten: I am Tenten Daughter of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Student of Master Yupa. You who dare defile our country in the presence of heartless.

I forbid you advance one step beyond this sword. Withdraw Immediately

At this command most of the Ninjas and heartless were already in retreat.

Tenten: Looks like you're army's left you Orochimaru. I suggest you leave too unless you want to try attacking with so few troops.

At this comment Orochimaru and his army goes into full retreat.

Tenten looks around and spots Naruto.

Tenten: Naruto you are taking me out to dinner tonight. Dress nicely and no Ramen.

Naruto: Err. Of course Tenten.

Kiba: And that is her kekkei genkai no one can seem to say no to her. Hell most of the Aburame bugs are obeying her.

AN: Yes I lifted most of Tenten's speech from the Manga.

_Always looking for more omakes, so feel free to submit them. I especially like "What if Tenten's Dad/Mom was…?" stories. Also, Key Through the Heart can also now be found on The Original Naruto Fanfiction Archive. Check it out!_


	26. Anything But Lazy Afternoons

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Two weeks later…_

"_THUNDER_!"

_Phzwip!_

Naruto growled and shook the Keyblade. A few additional sparks emerged from the tip of the weapon, but other than that his Thunder spell had produced no results.

Ino sighed heavily, looking down at the ground.

"So… What _are_ you going to do with those sparks of yours?" She groused. "You're not going to use it against Neji, are you?"

"Damnit, just because I can't do this stupid Lightening spell!" He growled.

"_Or_ Fire spell, _or_ Ice spell, _or_ Aero spell, _or _Water spell," Ino reminded him. The blond Keybearer scowled.

"Look, just what do I need with those spells huh? I've gotten a couple really good ones down!"

"Yes. You have. By powering them with _chakra,"_ Ino emphasized. "Even with _your_ stamina, you wouldn't be able to keep it up forever! After all, if you used magic with these spells, they'd work for longer periods of time with just _that_ bit of energy! With chakra, you have to constantly divert your energy into the spells to keep them going for more than an instant!"

"Yeah, but what can I do? I still can barely dredge any magic up as it is!" Naruto complained. "If I got it to work, then what's the problem?"

"Have you forgotten that Neji can close your _tenketsu_ points and shut down all your chakra?" Ino asked flatly. "We already know you can still use magic when that happens!"

"No, _you_ can use magic without chakra. Me? Nothing doing," Naruto sighed. "Look, I can still kick his ass the old fashioned way… And _your_ ass too, so stop acting so high and mighty!"

"Oh? Always after _kicking_ my ass, Naruto-kun? Sure there isn't something _else_ you'd like to do with it?" She asked, batting her eyelashes. Naruto flushed bright red, a thin trail of blood running out of his nose. Nearby, Hinata glared at Ino, her Byakugan flashing on. Ino just winked.

_God, I never get tired of teasing him…_ She thought impishly.

_Damnit, why does she keep doing that?!_ Naruto thought angrily.

_Why does she ALWAYS have to do that?! Naruto-kun is mine, you b-bitch!_ Hinata thought savagely, before covering her mouth in mortification.

"Eh? Hinata-chan, you okay?" Naruto asked. The Hyuuga girl blushed.

"U-Um, y-yes…"

"Well, nice to see you're all having fun," Jiraiya observed mildly as he entered the clearing, a displeased look on his face. Naruto frowned.

"Oh, _you're_ one to talk, Ero-Sennin. Like you've done anything to help!"

Jiraiya's expression became affronted as he held a hand over his chest.

"Me? I taught you how to summon, after all. Such an ungrateful student to his hard-working, handsome, talented-!"

"Perverted, lazy, peeping tom of a sensei?" Naruto retorted. Jiraiya heaved a long-suffering sigh.

"Well, if you actually _accomplished_ anything… The teacher can't do everything for his student, can he?"

"Hey! I can summon, right? And Hinata-chan's been fighting with me so I can counter the _Jyuken_!" Naruto turned to Hinata with a grin.

"Right?"

Hinata looked about at all the attention suddenly on her, and blushed in response.

"U-Um, well… H-He has improved, but… I'm not as strong as Neji-nii-san…"

Jiraiya frowned and crossed his arms.

"Well, if you _have_ improved… Show me!"

"All right, here goes!" Naruto grinned, forming the hand seals. He bit his thumb and slammed it into the ground. He was confident that, after two weeks of non-stop practice to direct his chakra to power various spells, he'd be getting something _far_ better than that little pervert of a toad!

"_Kuchiyose no jutsu!"_

_POOF!_

Once more the smoke cleared from the release of chakra, revealing…

"Yo, what's-_You again?"_ Gamakichi squawked. "Can't you figure out how to summon someone else? Not that I can complain _too_ much," the toad said, winking over at the mortified looking Hinata. Naruto's bangs shadowed his eyes as he loomed ominously over the amphibian.

"Huh? Wh-What's with that look, Blondie?" Gamakichi asked, a hint of nervousness appearing on his warty face. Naruto grinned.

"That's _it,_ you little _scum…_ _DIE! FIRE!"_

_BOOM!_ Even at point blank range, Gamakichi had barely managed to dodge the blast, and was now clinging to Jiraiya's head, shaking in terror.

Everyone stared, especially Naruto, at the small, smoking crater left from the spell.

"… YES! YES! I DID IT! I DID IT! WOOOOO!" Naruto whooped, jumping around and waving the Keyblade happily.

"H-How did you do that? I mean… All you did was…!" Ino began, also perplexed. Vivi's eyes turned into crescent moons.

"I _wondered_ about that," the little black mage said thoughtfully. "Why Naruto couldn't do what Ino can…"

"Eh? What do you mean, 'what I can do'?" Ino asked.

Jiraya's eyes widened… Then he sighed, shaking his head.

"Honestly… I can't believe I didn't see it sooner," He muttered. He looked over at Hinata.

"Hinata, look over Naruto with your Byakugan. Naruto?"

The Sannin picked Gamakichi off the top of his head and held the terrified looking amphibian away from his body.

"Blast the toad, same way as before."

"WHAT?!" Gamakichi shrieked. "YOU'RE NUTS, JIRAIYA! YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS! MY FATHER WILL KILL YOU!"

Naruto smirked and held up the Keyblade. Hinata opened her mouth to protest, but at Jiraiya's wink she stopped and focused her attention to Naruto's chakra system. His bright glowing chakra had a slight red tinge, and Hinata found herself beginning to smile at how… _Pretty_ it was.

_Focus, Hinata,_ she told herself. Shining magic, resembling some sparkling blue energy that was distinct from the chakra, rose up. It was thin, slogging its way through his packed chakra coils… She'd seen this before, how his chakra continued to impede the progress of his magic.

As it reached the Keyblade, she saw that something was different this time. Chakra was moving with Naruto's magic, pouring in with the cooler energy. The energies reacted together, both beginning to glow white.

"_FIRE!"_ Naruto shouted, and once again fire poured from his Keyblade. The fireball flew out screaming for Gamakichi who screamed with it. Jiraiya yanked the toad out of the way just in time.

"Did you see it?" The Toad Sage asked Hinata. The Hyuuga nodded.

"Yes… His chakra combined with his magic…"

"Eh? It never did that before," Naruto began with a frown. Jiraiya laughed.

"Of course! It's very simple. It's easier to move along a river that's moving, rather than one that is frozen!"

"Wah? Will someone tell me what's going on?" Ino demanded. Vivi chuckled.

"It's simple. Naruto's chakra was low enough from the summoning jutsu, that it didn't impede his magic. It's just how _you_ use your magic and chakra!"

"Huh?" Ino asked. Jiraiya shook his head.

"You've been fueling your spells with chakra _and_ magic, girl. You combine the two unconsciously, shaping your chakra while your staff shapes the magic."

"B-But, the Keyblade can do _both,"_ Hinata realized. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest, frowning thoughtfully.

"So, what you're saying is that if I combine my chakra and magic, I can do offensive spells?"

"Hell, you'll be able to do spells that are an order of magnitude stronger than what you could do otherwise," Jiraiya grinned. "_Combining_ magic _and_ chakra… You and Ino are incredibly unique."

"Damn straight," Ino laughed. She grinned. "So, now that we know _how_ Naruto can do magic… What do we teach him from here?"

"I have some ideas," Naruto mused aloud. Ino smirked and winked.

"_This_ should be good," she chuckled.

"Hinata-chan! I'm gonna need your help," Naruto said. The Hyuuga blushed.

"O-Okay, Naruto-kun!"

As the three genin walked off, listening to Naruto's plan, Gamakichi scowled at Jiraiya, webbed arms crossed over his chest.

"You're _nuts,_ you know that?" The little amphibian grunted.

The Sannin shrugged and smirked.

"Hey, it got him to do magic. Feel some pride, my friend."

"Hmph. The kid's still a doofus…"

Jiraiya grinned.

"He is that… But give it enough time and I'll be _rich_ off him…"

"Eh? How?" Gamakichi asked. Jiraiya winked.

"You'll see, my friend, you'll see…"

_Of course,_ he thought with a frown, _even this won't be strong enough for him to deal with what's coming… And until he can control the fox's chakra…_

Jiraiya nodded. It was probably the only way. Naruto may be able to do magic, but it still hadn't solved the problem of his tenant.

"Naruto, come over here," Jiraiya stated. Naruto turned back, curious. The old Sannin smiled.

"How about you take a break for a while? All three of you. We can go to Ichiraku's for ramen!"

Naruto grinned.

"Awesome! C'mon guys, let's go!"

"Naruto, what happened to training?" Ino asked with a sigh. Naruto pouted.

"Come on, I got the stupid spell, right? After _weeks_ of trying! And I haven't had any ramen in _days!_ Do you have any idea what that's like? Me! No ramen! _Days!"_

The blond turned to Hinata and Vivi with an eager smile. "You guys want to get ramen with me?"

"S-S-Sure, N-Naruto-kun," Hinata managed, blushing hard but managing not to faint. Internally she was jumping for joy. So what if it was with Vivi and Jiraiya? The important thing was Naruto! Naruto was eating with her! Almost like a date!

"All right! Ramen here we come!" Naruto cheered, practically dragging Hinata behind him. Ino sighed and followed, as Vivi also came along. The little black mage had never had this ramen before, but from how Naruto described the stuff it had to be good.

Jiraiya dismissed Gamakichi and followed, a grim smile on his face.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naruto stretched and belched happily, managing a polite 'excuse me' at the look Ino sent him. He rubbed the back of his head and beamed up at Ayame.

"Thanks for the meal, Ayame-_nee-_chan! I haven't been able to eat here lately with all my training…"

"I know Naruto. You told me last night, remember?" The ramen girl teased. Hinata dropped her chopsticks nearby, while Ino's eyes bugged out. Naruto flushed a little.

"Oh, right! Heh, sorry… I had other things on my mind…"

"Last night, huh Naruto?" Ino asked, almost innocently. Feeling an invisible tap on her shoulder, she passed another bowl of ramen back to Vivi. Naruto nodded.

"Yeah! Ayame-_nee_-chan came over and cooked me dinner!"

_Cooked him dinner?_ Hinata thought, her mind filled with an image of the older, _far_ more beautiful and developed Ayame greeting Naruto home dressed in an apron; And _only_ an apron. Her Byakugan activated on it's own in anger.

"Yeah! She's gotten me to eat more vegetables. I had no idea they could be so good, you know? Not as good as ramen of course," Naruto explained, smiling at Ayame.

"Oh. Dinner. I see," Ino replied, laughing a bit. Where the heck had that spike of jealousy come from…?

Hinata blushed heavily. _Yes… He has grown a bit more…_ She quickly shut her bloodline off to prevent a nosebleed.

Jiraiya came back into the stall, and Ichiraku himself reentered. The old cook was frowning a bit as he looked at Naruto, and the blond blinked.

"Eh? Something wrong, Old Man?"

"Not at all," Ichiraku said with a somewhat forced smile. "Glad to see you're well, Naruto."

"Yeah, same here! Sorry I haven't come lately. Business hasn't suffered, has it?" Naruto asked worriedly. Ichiraku shook his head.

"No, not at all Naruto…" 

"Naruto," Jiraiya spoke. "Come on, it's time to go!"

"Really? What for?"

"You'll see! Thanks for talking with me, Teuchi," Jiraiya nodded to the cook. Ichiraku's frown returned, but he nodded back.

"Sure..."

Ino frowned, and exchanged a look with Hinata. Both girls couldn't help but sense something… Off.

"So, back to training?" Ino asked. Jiraiya shook his head.

"For Naruto, yes. But just him."

"W-Why?" Hinata asked. Jiraiya smiled at her.

"Just summoning training. Nothing you should worry about."

Hinata frowned. Something in Jiraiya's voice… But he was a Sannin. Naruto's mentor. A hero of Konoha. Why should she be uneasy?

"Yeah, uh… Got it. See you later Naruto, Jiraiya," Ino said. She got up and went over to Hinata. "Coming Hinata?"

"Um, s-sure," Hinata stuttered, blushing as Naruto gave her a bright smile.

"See you later, Hinata-chan! Ino-chan!"

"Sure!" Ino replied happily, as she pulled the Hyuuga girl to her feet and led her out of the booth. Naruto turned to Jiraiya.

"So, what's this training?"

"First Naruto, why don't you give Ayame a hug goodbye?" Jiraiya suggested with a kind smile. Naruto frowned.

"Why?"

"It's part of the training, you might say," Jiraiya replied, still smiling. Naruto frowned and felt the Keyblade twitch. As though it wished to be summoned.

"Um, okay?" Naruto shrugged, and got up on the counter. Ayame reached across, looking confused as well, but hugged him all the same.

"Hey, take care Naruto, okay?" She said with a smile as she pulled back. Naruto's smile was more honest, as he had to admit, that hug was great. He's had so few in his life that any hug felt like pure bliss to him.

"Definite Ayame-_nee-_chan! I'll see you and Old Man later, okay?" Naruto enthused. He hopped off the counter and walked off, Jiraiya turning to follow.

"Jiraiya… If this fails," Teuchi spoke up. The Sannin turned and winked.

"Relax… I know what I'm doing," he said, before heading out himself. Ayame turned her head to her father with a concerned expression.

"Dad? Everything okay?"

"Hm? Oh, certainly. Not a problem," Ichiraku replied with a smile. "Get some more noodles, will you? We're out…"

"Sure," Ayame replied, but the uneasy feeling in her chest just wouldn't go away.

- - - - - - - - - -

Naruto scowled. "Seriously Ero-Sennin, what's the deal?"

"Hm?" Jiraiya asked innocently, his gaze off in the distance. Naruto crossed his arms over his chest.

"The ramen, the hug, the hot springs-How the heck is _this_ training?"

"Naruto, is there anything else you've wanted to do, more than anything?" Jiraiya asked, ignoring Naruto's demand. The blond blinked in disbelief.

"Huh? What the hell does that mean?"

"Maybe kiss a girl?" Jiraiya suggested. Naruto blushed hard.

"_EH?!_ I-Er-Well… Sure, I've wanted to do that, but er… Hey, don't change the damn subject! Why are you acting so _weird!_ What's with all these questions?"

Naruto stopped on the path the two had been taking, leading back to the training area outside of the village. He narrowed his eyes at the Sannin's back.

"… Why do I keep feeling like I want to summon the Keyblade, Ero-Sennin?" Naruto asked in a cold voice. Jiraiya sighed.

"No helping it then," the Sannin said. He turned back to Naruto. "I suppose I wanted to give you a little happiness, in case this training… Killed you."

Naruto frowned. "Killed me? But why-?"

"Naruto," Jiraiya said with a tone deadly in seriousness. "Something big is coming. Sand and Sound's forces are moving. It's possible they may be launching an assault on us, during the finals."

Naruto blinked.

"Huh? But why? We-We have a treaty with Sand, right? They're our allies-!"

"Things change quickly in the world of politics, Naruto," Jiraiya explained with a wry smile, as though morbidly amused. "They're our allies _now,_ true, but if someone makes them a better offer… Or if forces beyond their control force their hand…?" The Sannin shrugged.

"Which is why you've wanted me to get control of the Kyuubi's power," Naruto replied. Jiraiya smiled, and nodded.

"Yes. Unfortunately… You haven't had any luck with that, have you?"

The blonde shook his head with a scowl.

"No. She hasn't shown up in my dreams for a while at all."

"Oh? She's been in your _dreams_?" Jiraiya asked, interested. Naruto growled.

"Not like _that,_ you pervert! Just, you know… Offering me ultimate power if I give her my soul or crap like that," he grumbled. Jiraiya sighed.

"I see… Well, in that case, we're going to have to _force_ her to talk to you."

"How? Does it involve some really cool jutsu?" Naruto asked eagerly. Jiraiya shook his head.

"Not _quite…_ Come on, I'll show you."

The Sannin walked down the path for a while, Naruto following. The blond's curiosity was almost to the breaking point. Yet strangely enough, he still felt like he wanted to draw his Keyblade.

_That's strange… Why? It's not like Ero-Sennin is going to hurt me… Right?_

They finally stopped at a seemingly random point on the path, and Jiraiya turned around, looking serious. Naruto mentally gulped but managed to stay calm.

"Naruto… The Kyuubi is tied to your soul. If _you_ die, _it_ dies. You know this, right?" Jiraiya asked carefully. Naruto frowned.

"Yeah… But what does that have to do with…? Wait. What are you planning on, Ero-Sennin? Are you… Are you going to try to kill me?" Naruto asked, eyes wide.

Jiraiya sighed. "Before I answer that Naruto, tell me. Are you willing to do what it takes to control the Kyuubi? Are you willing to do anything, _including die,_ to protect Konoha and the people you care about?"

Naruto felt the urge to summon the Keyblade again, even more urgently before. He took a deep breath, and looked Jiraiya right in the eyes despite the lump of panic growing inside him.

"… I _am_."

Jiraiya nodded. "Good. Oh, and in answer to your question? No, you won't die… So long as you summon a big enough toad before you hit the bottom."

"The bot-?!"

Jiraiya shoved him through the trees, the foliage zooming around him before abruptly stopping. Naruto felt only empty space behind him, and as he twisted in freefall he saw the deep, dark canyon he'd just fallen into.

"_DAMN YOU ERO SENNINNNNNN!"_ He screamed as he plummeted into the darkness. Jiraiya, now at the edge, just watched his student fall.

"This is for your own good, Naruto… I just hope the Yondaime can forgive me…"

The familiar feeling of female killing intent blasted him from behind, and Jiraiya gulped. He turned around and saw Ino and Hinata _deathglaring_ him in unholy fury. Vivi, behind them, had his glowing eyes narrowed. The Sannin chuckled nervously.

"Now now… Let's all just _calm down…_I _am_ Naruto's sensei, after all, and I _do_ know what I'm doing-!"

"_THUNDER!"_

"_FOR NARUTO-KUN!"_

"_FIRAGA!"_

_Shit…_ Jiraiya realized that maybe… Just _maybe,_ he had miscalculated a tad.

- - - - - - - - - -

_I'm going to die!_

Naruto's heartbeat seemed deafening in his ears, even over the rushing wind around him as he fell, the crashing water of the falls.

_I'm going to die!_

He couldn't see the ground, only a dark maw, about to swallow him up. All his dreams and ambitions and hopes would lie with him at the bottom...

_I'm going to die!_

Darkness filled his vision, and there was silence for a moment. A moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, Time was holding its breath. Naruto wondered if he was already dead, or if this was one last trick being played on him by life.

He opened his eyes, not realizing he'd closed them in the first place, and looked around. He tapped his foot, hearing it echo in the vast darkness around him.

The old platform was beneath his feet, still glowing, still displaying two women. One with long red hair, red eyes, and black whiskers like his. Her body language was regal, not-so-gentle disdain very evident and enhanced by her royal kimono. The other had long brown hair flowing down her back, with warm brown eyes looking away from her companion. But even though her white and gray garments were every bit as beautiful and elegant as the red headed woman's, her body language was open and kind, defined for Naruto by the gentle and almost sad smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Keybearer," said a warm, cocky female voice, and Naruto looked up. He gaped.

"Kyuubi?"

The girl before him was about his age, with long, spiky red hair, matching eyes, and whiskers raised on her cheeks by her smirk. She wore a red and black short-sleeved jacket, left open to reveal a white (and Naruto saw, _very_ tight) T-shirt with the symbol for 'seal' written on her sizable chest. A dangerously short red and black skirt, and black ninja "sneakers" like his own completed her attire. She stood with her Keyblade leaning against her shoulder, held in one gloved hand, while the over rested provocatively against her hip.

"We got off on the wrong foot last time we met," the fox demon stated. Naruto snorted.

"Look, can we get this over with quickly? I'm kind of falling off a cliff at the moment... Or I was..."

"I have altered your perspective so that time passing in her is meaningless in the real world," Kyuubi replied. "You could spend years in here and barely a second would pass outside.

"I'll get to the point. If you hit the ground, you'll die. And so will I. You need my chakra."

Naruto frowned and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, I do... So... Can you give me some?"

The Kyuubi's eyes gleamed ever so slightly.

"I can... But really, this attitude of yours is unwarranted. What have I done to deserve such disrespect?"

"Gee, let me think. You made my life a living hell, you tried to _destroy_ my village-?" Naruto began in a tone dripping with sarcasm.

"The village that hates you, despises you, and will never _truly_ accept you," Kyuubi replied coldly. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

"They'll see me for who I am, _not_ you," he retorted. "Someday..."

"'Someday, eventually,'" Kyuubi mocked. "Why go through all that trouble? With the power I could give you, you could simply _make_ them love you, respect you."

"Yeah right," Naruto snorted. "I know what you want. You want out. You want to make me your little puppet!"

Kyuubi walked forward, hips swinging, her gaze predatory. Naruto brought up the Keyblade, eyes narrowed, and the Kyuubi stopped less than a meter away, still smirking.

"I do admit... I would like to be free..." She began, licking her lips and holding his gaze with an intensity that almost made Naruto want to look away.

"But I'm willing to _earn_ my freedom, just as you are willing to _earn_ the respect and love of your village," she continued. Her smirk softened.

"We're not so different, you and I. Both prisoners of our circumstances."

"Big difference. You _made_ your circumstances, and _mine_," Naruto retorted. Kyuubi laughed quietly, reminding Naruto almost of a cat purring.

"That aside... We are both prisoners. I am willing to put forth the effort to free us both from them, where _you_ hold a grudge, unable to see the bigger picture."

"Yeah? What's that?" Naruto demanded. Kyuubi sighed, just barely mocking in quality. It set Naruto on edge.

"You are the Keybearer. You are not the first one I've met... But you do have the potential to be the most powerful of all time," she stated. Naruto's eyes widened slightly, and the Kyuubi's eyes turned almost nostalgic.

"I have lived for thousands upon thousands of years, Keybearer. In that time I have seen and traveled far, even beyond this world," the demon said. "Long enough to have seen a few Keybearers, or Keyblade masters as they sometimes called themselves. All powerful, some heroes, some villains... But all limited by the fact that they had access to the direct power of only _one_ heart. Their own."

"And I have two?" Naruto asked. Kyuubi nodded, looking slightly pleased.

"Yes. With our combined strength, we could do _anything_ you could imagine. Absolutely _anything_," she breathed, and Naruto found he couldn't look away from her eyes. They drew him in, scarlet pools that kept beckoning him in closer, _closer_...

"Wh... Why right now?" Naruto asked, trying to keep his growing anxiety out of his voice. The Kyuubi just kept getting _closer_ to him, filling his senses. The fox girl shrugged.

"Why not? The sooner you accept my power, the sooner you can reap the rewards," she explained. Naruto felt her body heat as her chest pushed against his. _When-How did she get so close-?!_

"And there would be so _many_ for you to have," she whispered, her smirk becoming a feral smile as she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his. Naruto gasped and she slid her tongue into his open mouth, filling it and him with even more warmth.

_I'll become your lover, your partner... Everything and anything _you_ desire, Keybearer,_ he heard in his mind. Naruto felt his will slipping, felt his arms reaching up to go around her waist felt her soft, warm body push against his...

**Naruto... Don't.**

A small voice in the back of his head broke through the cloud of lust and warmth, and he pulled away. The Kyuubi glared at something behind him, beautiful face turning ugly in rage.

**"Do not interfere! This is up to him!"** The fox demon snarled. Naruto turned around, and gaped. Another girl his own age, this one with soft, flowing brown hair, warm eyes, and dressed in a simple grey shirt and blue shorts was on the platform with them, his eyes screaming that she was familiar to him, but his mind unable to recall how.

"No, you are only leaving him _one_ choice," the Girl challenged. "Using his dreams and desires against him!"

"A demon **never** breaks her word, and I am the strongest of all. If I did not follow the laws of my kind, I would not remain so for long!" Kyuubi retorted. She stepped towards Naruto again, her hand reaching out.

"I will give you everything you could ever _want_, Naruto, including my _love,_" she stated emphatically. Naruto stared at her a moment, before looking back at the Girl.

"I know what you want, Naruto. You want love, respect, affection. You want it so bad that it is taking everything you have to resist her offer," the Girl said. "But you don't _need_ her to get it. In the end, everything she will _ever_ do for you will be in her own interests."

"I'm altruistic. He helps me, I help him. It's fair, and what he would gain from me would _far_ outweigh anything he'd have to do for me," Kyuubi argued. "Even _you_ have an agenda!"

The Girl smiled, almost pityingly at the demon, and this raised the Kyuubi's ire more than anything else this meddling being had done so far.

"No. If I did, then I would be right there, taking his hand and dragging him away from you," the Girl answered. "But I'm willing to let him choose. I'm not going to influence his decision by using his weaknesses against him. Because I know _him._"

"If you know him so well, you must _know_ how much he wants what I can offer. He's tired of the hard way, watching unworthy 'geniuses' get everything he so craves," Kyuubi snorted.

Naruto looked between them, and his eyes settled on the girl. The sense of familiarity was _killing_ him, but he pushed past it and looked right in her eyes. She didn't look away, nor did they draw him in by some subconscious means.

"You'd let me choose Kyuubi?" He asked seriously. The girl nodded.

"I wouldn't force you to choose, Naruto. You know what might happen. You know what she's done. But, more than that Naruto, you know _you_. And if this is what you want... I won't stop you."

"She _can't_ stop you," Kyuubi scoffed. "She's just playing your emotions!"

"Pot calling the kettle black?" Naruto retorted, but the Kyuubi didn't back down. The blonde looked between the two girls once more, and sighed.

"You're right... You _could_ give me everything... Anything I wanted. All I'd have to do is whatever you wanted me to. And I'm going to need your power in the future. I know it," he sighed. The Kyuubi tried to keep her anticipation out of her eyes.

"... But that doesn't mean I'm going to sell everything to you, just because you've got a nice rack," Naruto growled. The Kyuubi's eyes narrowed, as Naruto smirked and held up his Keyblade.

"I've got a different offer, Kyuubi. You've got a Keyblade too, right? Let's see what your power could do for me. If you beat me as you are now... I'll agree to your deal. If I beat _you_, then you agree to _my_ terms."

The Kyuubi smirked back... Before swinging her Keyblade and blasting him with a massive blast of red chakra. He tumbled and slammed into the girl, both crumpling against the edge of the platform. She walked over slowly, Naruto getting up, looking dazed, but still willing to fight.

_I never thought it would take this long... But it's all worth it now,_ she thought in triumph, rushing forward to meet Naruto's own charge. Red and blue chakra burst from the blows the Keyblades exchanged, cruel demonic steel crashing against deceptively humble metal. Naruto ducked below a strike and applied chakra to the Keyblade, swinging upwards and catching the Kyuubi between the legs.

"GAH!" She cried, knocked into the air. Naruto kept up with her, striking three more times in succession before she blasted him away with another shot of red chakra. She landed on the far side of the platform, wincing at the wounds inflicted. Even with her own Keyblade, the original still damaged her more than her demonic chakra could hurt him.

But she was the Kyuubi no Youko. The most powerful demon to walk this world and many others. Even in this limited form, she was more than a match for a mere mortal.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!_" Naruto shouted, and a dozen Narutos charged her, two leaping up into the air to attack from above while two more dropped down and slid, pushing against the platform with chakra to remove most of their friction. She mentally applauded his ingenuity, before raising up her Keyblade.

_Time to end this..._

"_STRIKE RAID BARRAGE!_" She bellowed, spinning her Keyblade around and adding chakra to it. She released the blazing weapon and it cut right through one clone, before vanishing and reappearing at the side of the clones, slashing apart several more. Three more teleports and the original Naruto was slammed in the gut by the Kyuubi Keyblade, sent tumbling back along the floor. Her weapon returned to her hand in a flash of light, and the Kyuubi smirked.

"Game over, little one," she stated. The Girl scrambled over to Naruto's side, looking down on him.

"Naruto! Naruto, are you okay?" She asked urgently. She shook him, and the Kyuubi laughed.

"Oh come now, what do you think this is, a fairy tale?" Pushing her chakra into her Keyblade once more, she swung the weapon, it's main blade lengthening into a chakra tail and slapping the Girl across the face. The Kyuubi grabbed her with the tail, lifting her up and yanking her closer. The fox reached out with her free hand and caressed the Girl's face. She shot a defiant look back at her captor.

"Hm... You have more spirit than your kind usually has. Of course, in the grand scheme of things, you're merely _tools_. Tumblers in a lock," Kyuubi grinned. "And once Naruto is mine... At least I'll know where to find the first one," she finished in a whisper.

"_HASTE!_"

The Kyuubi's senses screamed at her about the massive power surge milliseconds too late.

_WHAM!_

She flew back from the force of the Keyblade slamming into her cheek, dropping the Girl, who was caught by a bloody, but determined looking Naruto. The blond set her down before forming a familiar hand seal.

"_KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!_"

Five more clones appeared, and just as quickly vanished with the original. Kyuubi had only just gotten back up when they began their attack.

"U-!"

She was knocked into the air by a Keyblade strike, moving so fast she couldn't see it.

"ZU! MA! KI!" Three more blows knocked her even higher, and she spotted two final ones appear overhead and raise their weapons in preparation for a hammer blow. Her eyes widened.

"NARUTO RENDAN!" They bellowed, slamming her with chakra-imbued Keyblades. She screamed as she was blasted to the platform below and crashed with a thud. Slowly she raised her head to look around her. All six Narutos held Keyblades at her head, neck, or chest.

"Well Kyuubi? You need me to smack you around some more, or what?" The original snarled. The fox demon sighed.

"... I yield."

"Huh?"

"You win," she restated, scowling a bit. The blond Keybearer grinned.

"Right. Now, all I'll be wanting from you right now is chakra. There might be more later, but for now, and the foreseeable future... That's all I want."

The Kyuubi scowled, but managed a nod. Naruto turned around and walked over to the Girl, sitting up slightly despite the injuries she'd sustained. His clones continued to keep their weapons on the Kyuubi.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked. The Girl nodded weakly.

"Yes. Thank you."

"No, thank you. You kept me from-"

"You're a lot stronger than you think, Naruto," the girl interrupted. She managed a pain filled smile. "You just need some reminders every now and then."

"Er... If it's okay... Can you tell me who you are?" Naruto asked. The Girl opened her mouth... But Naruto felt red chakra burning through him, and he staggered back before she could answer.

"Naruto!" She gasped, and he vanished. The Kyuubi smirked, standing up, perfectly unharmed. The remaining clones vanished as she strolled up to the Girl, taking smug strides.

"He's exceeded my expectations," she purred down at the glaring Girl. "You've shown him the first step to true power. He will make an... _Excellent_ consort."

"He'll never give in to you... No matter what you try, or how hard you push, he'll _never_ obey you," the Girl stated firmly. Kyuubi chuckled menacingly.

"We'll see, child... We'll see..."

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The wind, the free fall, the bottom of the canyon reappeared to Naruto, and he made hand seals as fast as he possibly could.

"_KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"_ Naruto bellowed, the Keyblade appearing in his hand as he channeled the massive burst of the Kyuubi's chakra through it. Green and blue sparks seemed to explode from his aura before a deafening _BOOM!_ issued from the tip of the Keyblade, casting a gigantic cloud of smoke below him. Naruto screamed as he fell through the smoke, half-expecting to slam into jagged rock.

_Splack! Wibble…_

Naruto kept his eyes firmly closed until he stopped moving. Odd… He didn't think rocks felt like very old, bouncy leather…

"EH? WHERE AM I? JIRAIYA? JIRAIYA, WHERE ARE YOU? WHY HAVE YOU SUMMONED ME?" Boomed a voice that made whatever-he-laying-on vibrate. Naruto opened his eyes, and blinked. A vast expanse of red, sort of clammy-looking skin greeted him, some blue spots and lots of small scars decorating the surface. Naruto stood up, looking around in aw at the huge smoking pipe in front of him, the massive arms and webbed fingers that braced the creature in the canyon…

"WHO ARE YOU?" Boomed the voice, and Naruto jumped, turning around. He gasped at the giant yellow eyes gazing at him, underneath the red brows. A gigantic scar decorated the right side of the toad's face, across its eye.

"Ah, er… Uzumaki Naruto, sir," Naruto respectfully addressed the giant toad. "Um, who are you?"

"WHO AM I? YOU DON'T KNOW WHO I AM? HMMM… IT IS NOT TOO SURPRISING, LITTLE ONE, CONSIDERING IT'S BEEN YEARS SINCE I WAS LAST HERE. I AM GAMABUNTA, THE BOSS TOAD. WHERE IS JIRAIYA? WHY HAS HE SUMMONED ME?"

Naruto blinked. He took a deep breath.

"Ah, sir? I… _He_ didn't summon you. _Jiraiya_ didn't summon you. I did!"

Gamabunta's eye narrowed at the blond youth on his snout. His pupil widened at the glittering Keyblade in his hand. Not to mention the resemblance the child had to another one of his summoners… And those _whiskers…_

"BRAT… _YOU_ SUMMONED _ME_?" Gamabunta asked. Naruto nodded, Keyblade firmly clutched in his fist. Gamabunta harrumphed, before beginning to chuckle.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! HOHOHOHO! I SEE… _MOST_ INTERESTING. TELL ME, UZUMAKI NARUTO, HAVE YOU SIGNED ANY OTHER SUMMONING CONTRACTS?"

Naruto frowned. "Er… No?"

"GOOD! GOOD… IN THAT CASE, YOU MAY CONSIDER YOURSELF MY SUBORDINATE. MY CHILDREN AND I WILL AID YOU IN BATTLE AS WE HAVE AIDED ALL OUR PAST SUMMONERS!"

"Really? Awesome! Thanks, Gamabunta!" Naruto gushed. He had no idea _why_ the Boss Toad seemed so happy about this, but he wasn't complaining!

"NOW, TELL ME NARUTO. WHY DID YOU SUMMON ME DOWN HERE?"

"Er, well, Jiraiya pushed me off the cliff up there, and I couldn't grab onto anything, so I-!"

"AHHHH. I SEE. SO, HE IS ON TOP OF THE CLIFF? I HAVE THINGS TO DISCUSS WITH HIM. HOLD ON!"

"Hold-WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH?!" Naruto screamed, as Gamabunta pushed up, accelerating back up the canyon descent even faster than he'd fallen down it. The blonde was pushed into Gamabunta's snout by the gee-forces, tears streaming from his eyes. Gamabunta reached the apogee of his jump and descended, forcing Naruto to grab on for dear life to the giant amphibian's skin as they plummeted towards the ground.

_BOOM!_ Naruto flapped back and forth, still stuck to the toad's skin by his hands. His eyes spiraled as he struggled to catch his breath. Gamabunta looked around the landscape.

"JIRAIYA! WHERE ARE YOU? I HAVE THINGS TO DISCUSS WITH YOU!" The Boss Toad rumbled. At his feet, said white-haired Sannin soon appeared, looking none the worse for wear. Ino, Hinata, and Vivi followed, the two girls moving closer.

"NARUTOOO! HEY! YOU OKAY?" Ino shouted. Naruto weakly raised his head and waved.

"I'm okay!" He shouted. Gamabunta's tongue slithered out of his mouth and grasped Naruto, gently tugging him off. It descended, setting Naruto on the ground before zipping back into the huge toad's mouth.

"JIRAIYA?" The Toad Boss said expectantly. Jiraiya nodded, and turned to Naruto with a thumbs up and grin.

"Good work! See? I knew you'd pull it off!"

Naruto scowled, opened his mouth… Before closing it again with a sigh.

"You know, I really, _really_ hate you, Ero-Sennin," Naruto grunted. He turned and walked off, a concerned Hinata asking him if he needed any treatment, while Ino just followed with a somewhat dazed expression. Vivi shot Jiraiya a raised eyebrow (or what Jiraiya _thought_ was a raised eyebrow-Still somewhat difficult to tell with the small Black mage), before he too clomped off. The Sannin turned back to the massive Toad, and leaped up to the tip of his snout.

"I'm surprised you believed him when he said you summoned him," Jiraiya commented. Gamabunta chuckled, shaping his chakra to minimize the vibrations caused by his voice. It also ensured that his words could only be picked up at ultrasonic levels. Jiraiya automatically used chakra to attune his own hearing to that wavelength, as they had done many times before.

"HE'S THE KEYBEARER. ALSO, THE FACT HE STUNK OF _HER_ CHAKRA… THOUGH WHAT REALLY CONVINCED ME WAS HOW MUCH HE LOOKS LIKE _HIM_."

"That he does."

"SO… YOU WILL CONTINUE TO INSTRUCT HIM?"

Jiraiya nodded.

"I owe his father. Not to mention that, the moment this gets off-world…"

Gamabunta grunted thoughtfully.

"THE EDGE OF THE STORMFRONT IS DRAWING NEAR. MY REALM IS SAFE, FOR THE MOMENT, BUT THE REST OF THIS WORLD…?"

The Boss Toad scowled. Jiraiya shook his head.

"It won't come to that."

"SEE THAT IT DOESN'T," Gamabunta harrumphed, before vanishing in a massive cloud of smoke. The air cleared, leaving a thoughtful Sannin behind amid the four giant footprints left by the great toad.

- - - - - - - -

_Combat has a rhythm, like a song or dance. _

Sakura and Sawada furiously exchanged blows in the clearing, each blocked punch returned with a jab, each jab returned with a kick or sidesweep.

_It can be fast…_

The two combatants broke their contest, now circling eachother scant meters apart. While Sakura was breathing hard, the three weeks of the ANBU's tutelage had paid off immeasurably. Her muscles were toned and more defined, her overall build and stature more like a sleek jungle cat's than a weak little girl's. After her dress had been shredded trying to deflect a Fire jutsu from her instructor, Sawada had gotten her a tight, sleeveless black leather top and a matching half skirt, half utility belt that resembled something like an apron put on backwards to go with it. The gloves she'd worn since the Wave mission had been reinforced with small steel plates to protect her knuckles and allow her the ability to strike harder.

_It can be slow…_

But it was in her overall attitude and aura that Sakura had changed the most. A deadly grace had seeped its way into her body language, a confidence that made Ino's casual popular girl preening seem as empty as a moonless night. And in her eyes burned an angry fire, a heated determination.

_There are rests, repeats, changes in pitch and intensity. You are an instrument in battle, Sakura. Play your tune,_ went through the genin's head, recalling her sensei's words.

The two women leaped at each other again, Sakura executing a low leg sweep that Sawada handily side-stepped, thrusting her fist at Sakura's head. The genin blocked and deflected it with her forearm, rolling herself back up and slamming a kick into Sawada's next block. The ANBU trapped Sakura's foot, but she kept moving up and kicked for her face, forcing Sawada to let go and empty-hand block that kick, and two that followed. Sakura landed and lunge-punched, Sawada trapping it again and pulling Sakura forward into a knee, but the pink-haired girl saw it coming and flipped over her sensei, using Sawada as a pivot point. Sakura kicked out for Sawada's ankle but the ANBU stepped back, releasing Sakura and continuing to slap away her punches. She ducked under a roundhouse punch and slammed a palm into Sakura's stomach, sending the girl back.

Sakura recovered, reverse-hand springing to kill potentially lethal momentum and handily blocked Sawada's next three punches, anticipating a leg sweep and back-flipping over it, twisting her legs while standing on her hands to kick Sawada right in the face.

_WHUMP! _Sawada blocked the kick and Sakura spun on her hands, curling and rolling back up, stance ready just as Sawada got back into her own fighting stance.

"Stop. Very good," Sawada complimented, and Sakura nodded, slowly relaxing out of her fighting stance. Her breathing was hard, her muscles ached, and she felt as though she'd been tossed down a rocky slope… But still she smiled.

"You're up to one hour of continuous, non-stop hand to hand fighting. You have far exceeded my expectations, Sakura," Sawada stated. Sakura managed a nod.

"Thank you… Sensei…"

_**HELL YEAH! WE KICK ASS! SHANNARO!**_ Inner Sakura cheered. Outer Sakura's smile brightened just a bit more. Sasuke wouldn't be able to call her weak when he got back, no sir!

"Now then. Next we will…" Sawada trailed off, and Sakura felt a presence nearby. Tracing the chakra to it's source, she saw another ANBU, dressed in a black cloak and robe standing on a tree branch high above.

"Excuse me, I'll just be a moment," Sawada said, leaping up to the tree and standing next to the ANBU. Sakura frowned, watching the two ninja exchange words. She couldn't hear what they were saying, but her sensei seemed… Agitated.

Five minutes passed, before Sawada nodded to the other ANBU and leaped back down, looking at Sakura intently. The genin fidgeted.

"Sakura… There have been some aspects of my training you that I have not told you. For that, I apologize," Sawada began. Sakura's frowned deepened.

"What do you mean, Sensei?"

"I mean that I have been sending reports of your progress to my superiors. They are interested in your new chakra source, Sakura. They believe it's a new _kekkei genkai,_ and were hoping to study it."

"St-Study it?" Sakura asked, eyes widening just a bit. They narrowed again as she got into a fighting stance.

"You want to _experiment_ on me? Is that it?!"

"Nothing of the sort, Haruno-san," spoke the other ANBU, who (Sakura was shocked to see) had appeared next to her without any warning. The mask looked intently at her.

"But, we must admit, your secondary chakra source is intriguing," this ANBU continued. "We believe it may be related to an older one, lost in the years before Konoha was founded."

"An… Older bloodline limit?" Sakura asked. Sawada nodded, somewhat more stiffly than she usually did. While the ANBU had not related much about her personal life or past to Sakura, she had begun to pick up small tells in her sensei's body language.

"Yes. Apparently related to elemental chakra," Sawada explained. "The source is an aspect of nature around you."

"It would be very easy to determine," the other ANBU interjected. "There is an old jutsu from that time that was used by those with this _kekkei genkai_ to directly access the source of this power."

"There… There is?" Sakura asked. "Is it dangerous?"

"Yes," Sawada stated without hesitation, making the other ANBU glance at her. "The jutsu links you directly to the source of your secondary chakra, putting you there. If you're not careful, it could overwhelm you. Destroy your soul and leave you a lifeless vegetable."

"Which is easily prevented, provided that Haruno-san has the will to master her power," the other ANBU countered. Sakura turned to Sawada questioningly.

"Did… Did you train me, just for _this?"_

"I was not ordered to, no," Sawada stated. "I am simply required to report to my superiors about what I'm doing."

Sakura nodded. She knew it was logical, she knew Sawada hadn't done anything wrong, or lied to her…

_So why do I feel so uneasy? Hey, Inner… Do you see a Source or something like that?_

_**Sort of… It's… Well, to be honest it'd be best explained if you were here to see it.**_

_I can't do that!_

_**No, but maybe this jutsu would help you?**_

"… Do I have to undergo it?" Sakura asked. Sawada shook her head.

"No, you don't," she said quietly. The other ANBU stepped in.

"You don't have to do anything you don't want to, Haruno-san. We will understand completely if you refuse…"

A _kekkei genkai._ She might have a _kekkei_ _genkai._ One that might match the Sharingan, if applied carefully. Sakura knew this. She knew she could help Konoha a lot if it was true. She knew Sasuke might be more impressed with her-

_**Oh fuck that! Don't do it for him! Do it for us!**_ Her Inner urged. Sakura took a deep breath, and looked over at the ANBU.

"Can I do this any time I want?"

"Due to the nature of the jutsu, it can only be performed at certain times of the year. Cycles of chakra growth in the surrounding biomass, you know. It might be another year or two before we could try again," the other ANBU said. Sakura looked at Sawada.

"Why is that?"

"Because your secondary chakra source is related to the elemental chakra in the surrounding area," Sawada explained. "They already have the baseline measurements of the various elemental chakras now around us, with which to compare."

"Of course, if you don't end up confronting some inner source of power, we know it's not _that_ bloodline at all," the other ANBU stated. "In which case, no harm done."

Sakura mulled it over. _Inner me?_

_**I think we should do it… If only to show up Ino-Pig, Sasuke, and Kakashi-sensei even faster,**_ Inner Sakura replied. _**Besides, I know what's here. I know we can take it.**_

_But you can't tell me about it?_ Sakura asked.

_**It's kind of complicated… Like I said, if this jutsu brings you right into the source, then you'll understand.**_

Sakura nodded, and turned to the other ANBU.

"All right… What do I do first?"

"_Sleep,"_ the ANBU muttered, and Sakura found herself falling into just that.

Sawada caught her and gently set her down on the ground. She pulled off her mask, deathglaring the other ANBU with red-brown eyes.

"What is Maleficent thinking? Having us perform it on her already?" She growled. The other ANBU pulled off his own mask, revealing Kabuto's smirking face.

"Things have changed. Our schedule has moved up. And besides, I've seen how hard you've trained the girl. She can take it. Or are you becoming more attached than you were supposed to, _Tifa?"_

The woman resisted the urge to punch the medic-ninja's face in, and sighed. She stood back up and donned her mask, in a sense once again becoming Sawada. The sensei Sakura looked up to. A proud ninja of Konoha.

Not a refugee from a distant world, forced into working for a twisted witch to find those she cared about.

"If she dies, you will fail to return to her, Kabuto," she snarled. The spy took the hint and began drawing out the proper seals around Sakura. Sawada kept her eyes right on the girl, never leaving the spot she lay in even as dark energy formed a dome and hid her from sight. Kabuto backed way off, and Sawada followed.

"What now?" She asked.

"Now? We wait," Kabuto stated, eyes gleaming with a sick eagerness that made Sawada's fist clench. 

- - - - - - - -

She found herself in an abyss, nothing to see anywhere. Only empty darkness. Sakura turned her head, straining her chakra senses. 

Nothing. Literally _nothing_ but Darkness.

A pair of yellow eyes opened ahead of her, and she felt a surge of fear in her chest. The pair of eyes twitched about, as though the head they were mounted on couldn't quite keep still. But the eyes... Somehow, she _knew_ they were locked on her.

More and more appeared, opening, the massive horror around her waking up at last. Sakura felt her fear rise ever higher, too scared to move. Too scared to breathe.

_**Damnit, stop being such a wuss!**_ Inner Sakura barked. Sakura felt amazement and anger.

_WHAT?! I'm not a wuss! And how the hell can you just take this? This-This-?!_

_**Fear?**_ Replied Inner Sakura. _**Horror? Darkness? Cold? I'm part of you, Sakura. I'm feeling everything you're feeling right now. But unlike you, I've felt this before.**_

Sakura gulped. _You-You have?_

_**I told you you'd have to come here to see it for yourself? **_Inner Sakura asked, _**Drawing up that other chakra... I get to stand right on the edge, looking out into a darkness that never ends. It's pretty fucking scary, I can tell you. I always feel like I'm going to get sucked out, be made into dust, and be gone forever.**_

Her Inner Self paused, as though gathering her strength.

_**But, this is IN YOU. This is PART OF YOU. Of US. And it can only hurt us, if we let it. This is OUR power, Sakura.**_

_Our... Power?_ The crushing fear seemed to lift, ever so slightly. It was not being pushed back by light, so much as the feeling seemed to rise within her of its own accord. Sakura's eyes widened.

_My... Power..._

"_Sakura, you're annoying..._"

"_I'll protect you Sakura-chan, you don't have to worry!_"

"_You never really grew up, did you Forehead? You were always in that fantasy world, thinking that if you were with Sasuke-kun, then everything would work out. Isn't that what you believed?"_

No, there was light inside her. Anger, hope, confidence, all having been pushed down for so long. The same rush she had in the fight again Ino came back, a growing fire of power, desire.

_"You are not a ninja, Sakura. You are a little girl playing a very dangerous game, and if you do not stop it right now, you are going to get yourself and the rest of your team killed. So you just need to give up and go home..."_

Sakura felt the darkness close in around her, but the grin on her face welcomed it. Grabbing a piece of it in her hand she shaped it, grin growing as red flames danced around the piece of night in her palm. 

"_SAKURA-CHAN, FIGHT IT! DON'T GIVE UP DAMNIT!"_

"Will you _stop it?!_ _She's weak, she's useless! She is going to get you and her dumb ass __killed__!"_

"_No, she won't!__She doesn't look like it, she doesn't act like it sometimes, but Sakura-chan's a __lot__ stronger than you think she is! She just needs to prove it!"_

_Stronger… prove it…_

_I am… I AM stronger… And I will…_

Visions of defeating Ino - _Truly_ defeating her came into her mind. Visions of showing up Kakashi, beating down and dominating Sasuke, _forcing_ him to see her...

Visions of Naruto, always smiling, always encouraging... The warmth in her heart so long denied at the blond's care, dedication, and support…

_I will…_

_**Prove it.**_

_Yes… And with this power…_

_**I**_

_Can_

_**Do**_

_Anything…_

Sakura held up her arms, and embraced the darkness, childlike laughter leaving her mouth…

- - - - - -

Sawada frowned, clearly resisting the urge to see to her student. Kabuto gave her a small smile that would be comforting to anyone else.

But she could see the venom in his gaze.

"She should be done... Right about _now_, if Maleficent-sama's calculations are correct," Kabuto spoke, looking down on the flowing, inky black dome in the center of the clearing. Sawada's scowl grew.

"And if not?"

Kabuto tried to respond, before a crushing killing intent fell upon them. Kabuto's eyes widened to the same size as Sawada's did. The dome began to burn, bright red flames spreading over its surface, and just as quickly falling away.

Sakura stood amidst the dying embers, head bowed. Sawada was at her side in an instant, quickly checking her over.

"Sakura? Are you... All right?" She asked, willing herself past the ki's influence. She couldn't help but notice her pupil's hair, once a cheerful light pink, now a deep, bloody crimson.

Sakura looked up, and Sawada felt the need to pull her mask back, lest Sakura see her expression of horror. The genin was smiling. Smiling to put the fear of God into an atheist. A terrible determination burned in her green eyes, a surety Sawada could only recall seeing once before, in the eyes of the mad man who had tried to destroy her world. Her hair slowly returned to its old color, but the eyes remained the same.

"Never better, Sawada-sensei," Sakura purred.

- - - - - - - - -

A rock clattered against the path, spinning amongst its fellows. Naruto tracked its progress automatically, heavy steps plodding down in the dirt and debris.

You noticed some things when you took it slower, like how the trees sang to each other, or how Ino's face flushed when she was angry. Judging by the red glow her cheeks emitted, she was enraged to the point of spiting. "You idiot! I can't believe you went along with whatever he was doing, just because he told you to! Didn't you learn your lesson last time?!"

Naruto smiled weakly. It did little to appease her, which wasn't really that disappointing. She was kind of pretty when she was angry.

Hinata shuffled along beside him, sending searching glances his way every once in a while. 

"Are…" she trailed off, and didn't finish until he dragged his gaze back towards her. "Ar-are you sure you're okay?" she squeaked. Naruto's grin was weary but real.

"I'm great!" he said, and tripped over another rock. Ino had caught him by the arm automatically, but she didn't linger. Brusquely, she set him straight and kept up the march.

"Are you even listening to me?!" she hissed, and jabbed an accusatory finger towards him, "Fine! Next time I'll push you over myself!"

"I was listening!" Naruto piped indignantly, "You were worried about me!"

Ino's mouth was gaping like a fish's. She closed it with a snap, and stared down Hinata's smothered giggle. Her face a turned a shade darker, "You have selective hearing!"

"You were worried…" Naruto sang softly, lilting obnoxiously. Hinata coughed violently into her jacket sleeve.

"I was not worried," Ino smacked the back of his head, blushing furiously, "The gene pool's running low on chlorine."

Naruto was about to retort, but Hinata cut in before he could, "W-we were all worried." 

She looked mortified to have included herself, and rushed forwards, "We-weren't we?"

"Indeed," Vivi spoke from behind the trio. Naruto looked back, his smile growing to radiance. Hinata was studiously avoiding eye contact with anything other than her feet. Ino blinked, biting her lip through her hesitant smile.

From somewhere ahead of them, a rock could be heard clattering off the path.

The four of them were instantly alert, Hinata's hands already forming her seals, 

"_Byakugan._"

His knees shuddered faintly from the effort, but the keyblade was back in Naruto's hand. A dark silence descended.

Hinata's sight darted through the trees, flying towards the noise. A dark roil of chakra was there, closer that she had initially expected. It wasn't moving. Cautiously, she scouted the dark shape, probing through the evil mass and red-tinged insanity.

A pair of eyes slid lazily open, and Hinata knew—just knew—that it was looking back at her.

She jolted back to her normal sight with a gasp, her hands trembling. "It—it's—!" she drank in a deep breath, aware of the strong hands on her shoulders, shaking gently.

"It's Gaara-san."

A twig snapped from around the bend, closer than before. Ino skittered between the two vessels nervously, her suddenly clammy hands tight around her staff. Naruto's eyes were wide, arm muscles flexing convulsively. Hinata shuddered, seeming to cave in on herself.

Vivi was silent at the back, watching.

"W-well," Ino choked out with a sudden smile, and started walking. Her shoulders pulled back, spine ramrod-straight. "Let's go."

- - - - - - - - -

It only took a few moments for them to locate Gaara. He stood in the direct center of the road, his expression void of emotion. The three ninja's were marching in time, steps a little slower than normal while Vivi ghosted along behind them. Ino looked forcibly unconcerned; Hinata terrified, and Naruto's eyes never left Gaara's face.

They stopped a little way in front of him, trading stares. Gaara was silent. After a few moments, they started walking again, scrambling on the uneven path.

Hinata let out a shaky breath as she passed. Naruto was still staring at Gaara, turning his head to keep him in sight, thin lipped. For a second, he had the wild desire to bear his teeth.

They had almost made it a safe distance away before Gaara finally spoke, "Uzumaki…Naruto…" the ground shifted softly as he turned, frosty eyes now glued to Naruto's.

If Naruto's legs were shaking, he did a pretty good job of ignoring them. "What?" he barked quickly, and flinched when Gaara began to move again.

"I have…a need." Gaara took a slow step forwards, and continued on his unhurried trek, "You…" the sand in his gourd stirred feverishly, "Why do you frighten mother?" a slow tendril slithered out wards, fattening around Gaara's arm.

Ino swallowed, taking a nervous step backwards. Naruto didn't move, but stared back  
evenly.

"You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure," Naruto glared. Hinata and Ino exchanged quick glances.

_Could he be talking about…?_

Gaara brooded, still walking closer. More sand seeped out of the gourd. A sudden, violent spasm wracked over his face, twisting his mouth into a wicked, messy jumble of grinning teeth. The white's of his eyes were suddenly thrown outwards. What had once been menacing self control was now a crazed, manic demon.

Hinata gasped weakly, her hands shaking violently in their seals. Ino glanced back to see that even Vivi was making herself as small a target as possible.

"I'll kill you," he whispered with dark purpose, "And then, mother shall love me."

Naruto's eyes widened, his voice briefly lost. "B—" he sucked in a breath, "Sucks to your mother!"

Gaara froze. Ino had to fight down her hysterical urge to laugh against the suffocating air.

Slowly, Gaara hunched forwards, hands scrabbling against his hair. A dull, pained moan resounded through their bones, but ceased quickly. For several seconds, the only noise was the rising tide of golden grains.

And then, Gaara flashed forwards, face oddly wrong. An uncontrolled, wicked laugh shrieked from his mouth, "I'LL KILL YOU!"

Naruto willed his chakra and magic to rise as he moved forward, a shield for Ino, Hinata and Vivi.

"_Reflect!"_ He called, the spell forming around him just in time for Gaara's first wave of sand to bounce off. Gaara struck again, Naruto attempting to parry with the Keyblade but the sands just flew around his block to strike him directly. Naruto flew back, slamming into a tree with a dull thud.

"NARUTO!" Ino shouted. She held out her staff, sparks already flying from the tip of the weapon…

She met the eyes of the sand ninja and the breath was stolen from her lungs. She found she couldn't move, her blood pounding in her eyes. All she could see were those eyes, those terrible eyes…

"Ino, Hinata! MOVE DAMNIT!" Naruto shouted. He spun up the Keyblade and frantically, letting it fly to intercept the crushing wave of sand descending for his friends.

"_FIRA!"_ Vivi shouted, blasting apart the sand just as the Keyblade slashed through it. Naruto quickly recalled the weapon and charged Gaara, yelling as he passed Vivi, Ino and Hinata, "Get them out of here! I'll handle this!"

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Gaara cackled again, another mass of sand rising up like an ocean wave, rushing above Naruto to crush him. The blond dove to the side, a hand spring carrying him out of the path of the wave. Another prompt from the Keyblade pushed him into a cartwheel, a deadly appendage of compacted grains missing him by centimeters.

Naruto gritted his teeth as the Keyblade gave out another warning, back flipping away from the continuing assault.

_This is nuts! I can't stand still long enough to counter-attack!_

He had to get faster…

Hinata was fairing little better than Ino from the suffocating demonic aura over the area, but with her Byakugan she was easily able to watch Naruto battle Gaara as Vivi dragged them down the road with his Might ability. Shakily, she rose a hand up and tried to extend her will, shaping her magic into action as she cast, "_H-Haste!"_

Naruto grinned as the speed boost hit him, side-stepping another blast of deadly grains and charging Gaara head-on. Ducking and weaving he drew closer, avoiding the fast slashes and strikes of sand responding to his attack.

With ease he jumped up over Gaara's head, avoiding another rising arch of sand as he once again twirled his chakra-filled Keyblade and threw it at the redhead.

"_Strike Raid!"_ He shouted,

Catching a glimpse of Gaara's eyes once more, Naruto couldn't help his surprise. Were they turning _yellow?_

"Shit!" He exclaimed, narrowly avoiding twin spikes of sand eager to impale him. He jumped up on one of the tendrils and, quickly applying his water-walking technique, ran over it, Keyblade raised to strike down Gaara. The Sand ninja easily countered, the sand tendril expanding under Naruto's feet and producing spikes, forcing the Keybearer to leap away.

"Naruto, get back!" Vivi shouted, rushing up from behind. Naruto glanced back for just a moment, seeing Ino and Hinata safely out of range, before another command from the Keyblade caused him to backflip before a hammer of sand could crush him.

"Do it!" He shouted, running past Vivi. The little mage narrowed his eyes and concentrated, fearless before the swirling sand storm wielded by the murderous boy. He raised his staff, sparkles being generated from the tip as he swirled it around as though stirring a bowl with a spoon. The sky above turned dark, the wind picking up at the energies directing them.

His magic primed he held up his staff, a burst of light issuing forth like a beacon from the top.

"_THUNDAGA!"_ He cast. The static charge in the air increased dramatically, Naruto, Ino and Hinata's hair all standing on end. From the sky, a few beams of voltage flashed above Gaara, before at last a single, massive bolt stuck.

_CRACKABOOM!_

Naruto had covered his eyes just as the bolt hit, and now blinked furiously, his ears still ringing from the thunder. Smoke obscured where Gaara had stood, but soon cleared, revealing…

"Huh?" Naruto spoke, blue eyes widening at the misshapen glass form before them. Farther away, Hinata's Byakugan saw the same thing… And where Gaara truly was.

"Ino, look out-!" She moved, shoving Ino to the side.

"AUGH!"

Hinata had gotten Ino out of the way, but the mass of sand still caught the Hyuuga, quickly obscuring her as it shaped itself into a ball.

"Huh?! Hey, let me go! HELP!" Ino shouted, as sand trapped her as well. Naruto and Vivi turned at the noise, Gaara several meters further down the road. Two egg-shaped constructs floated over his head. The Sand ninja laughed quietly, that maniacal grin still on his face.

"I know why you're scaring mother now...you're just like me...you have a demon inside of you too."

Naruto's face pinched, "Shut up!" he snarled, and braced himself again.

A set of elongated, jagged teeth slashed through the air as Gaara laughed, "You! You think you're better than me, don't you?! DON'T YOU?!" his breathing turned harsher as the red head balanced on all four limbs.

Ino squirmed, feeling as though she was breathing through a straw. A little ways away, she could distantly see Hinata's pale, frightened face through her prison.

"You think I'm a monster!" Gaara screamed again. Naruto's whisker marks looked a little sharper from up high.

"But you're just scared! You can't control it—you're afraid of something that's a part of you!" He laughed again, "You will never learn to love yourself!"

Hinata's eyes were squeezed shut, but her mind was focused. Chakra, she needed to focus her chakra—

"I'm not afraid," Naruto roared, "Shut up you freak!"

_**You aren't?**_ A blazing, muted fire burned from within him, _**Then why don't you let me crush him for you?**_

_I don't need your help_, Naruto thought viciously, and struck out strongly against a sand

clone, darting through the swarm of pounding minerals. He turned sharply on his heel in a swivel, using the momentum to slash through Gaara's defensive wall and strike the other boy's side.

It seemed that even the forest held its breath. Several chips cracked agonizingly away from Gaara's skin, showing a flash of real flesh before they melded back together.

He grinned ruthlessly.

"You can't even touch me, as you are."

A rush of sand pushed Naruto backwards, slamming him into the ground and suffocating him. He couldn't move, he couldn't breath—

_**Yo,**_ the Kyuubi yawned, _**Don't let us die.**_

_Go away,_ Naruto thought resentfully, and tried to twitch one of his fingers. The sand's pressure built, nearly collapsing his chest.

_**He's using his demon,**_ the Kyuubi murmured, _**It's not like it'd be unfair.**_

His vision was going dark.

_I am not your vessel!_

There was a sudden, stinging fury.

_**YOU STUPID LITTLE BOY,**_ the Kyuubi screamed_**, ARE YOU WILLING TO DIE FOR YOUR STUPID PRIDE? ARE YOU WILLING TO LET YOUR FRIENDS DIE?!**_

Pictures of Ino and Hinata flashed through his mind's eye-And who knew what was happening to Vivi…

Naruto knew he was choking. He knew that he didn't have a prayer of escaping.

The Keyblade sent a thrill of encouraging energy along his arm.

Resentfully, he surrendered.

_Give it to me…_

- - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and added the two scenes at the end (marked with ), as well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Evil!Purring!Sakura! Easily a match for Purring!Naked!Neji!_

_If you don't know what I'm talking about, look up Kaorin on Her stories are gold._

_As for you NaruSaku fans out there? Consider this a bone, but no more than that. The final pairings are not yet finalized. Still, Sakura being more honest about her feelings for Naruto is always a good thing, right? Right._

_Big thanks to Captain Sarcasm, Lord Raine, and the rest of the crew at The Fanfiction Forum for all their assistance on this chapter. Till' next time, have some more omakes!_

By Kafaru: Sailor Sakura:

Within Sakura's mind, she felt something grow, a warmth that spread from her chest, becoming stronger as Naruto's shouts became louder.

"I… I am not weak… I am not weak… I AM NOT WEAK!"

_**HELL YEAH WE'RE NOT!**_ Inner Sakura chimed in_**. C'mon Sakura, let's show this bitch what we can do!**_

She's going DOWN!

With a rush every sense returned to her. Vision, hearing, pain…

"I am NOT giving UP!" Sakura roared, as her aura flared into being around her. As though she was being consumed by blue flames it grew, wind gushing out from where she stood.

The Third Hokage stared in disbelief, as did nearly everyone else in the arena.

"Wh-What's hapenning to Sakura?" Naruto asked as Kakashi pulled out his sharingan as Hinata and Neji activated their Byakugan. Hinata and Neji gasped at they saw.

"What, what did you see?" Kiba asked as Hinata pointed at Sakura as she glowed brightly.

"MOON PRISIM POWER-!" Sakura yelled outas she transformed.

Sakura now stood there in a strange looking Fuku with a very short blue skirt, red boots, gloves, and a Tiara on her head.

"IN THE NAME OF THE MOON I WILL DEFEAT YOU!" Sakura's yelled as she struck a pose. All the guys had blood coming out of their nose, even Gaara and Neji. Kiba wolf whistled and shouted.

"Now THAT'S what I call SEXY!" Kiba called out only to be back handed by Kurenai. All the other guys couldnt help but agree with the Dog boy's shout.

"I wonder if she likes to kill" Gaara asked outloud.

"It is our Fate to end up together" Neji said as Tenten smacked her head. All the guys then got into a fight over who would be with Sakura and Naruto sighed.

"Is this REALLY Necessary?" Naruto asked Tenten who shrugged.

'Now I know how Sasuke-Kun feels' Sakura thought to herself shuddering.

By Kill Cujo: Paranoia Neji

Sakura:: "Naruto do you have any idea why Neji is running around hitting people with a bat?"

Naruto:: " He said it had something to do with his cousin, that's all he said, then he hit me."

Sasuke:: " He tried to hit me, but Kakashi got in the way."

Sakura:: 'Liar!, you pushed him in front of you!"

By Myself: Out of Ramen?!

Ichiraku: Damn it Naruto, I'm out of ramen!

Naruto: WHAT?! OUT OF RAMEN?! falls to his knees NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Darth Vader style

Naruto grabs Ichiraku by the collar and shakes him

Naruto: PLEASE! YOU'VE GOTTA HAVE SOME MORE! PLEASE!

Ichiraku: Gah! I don't! Um... I have my beautiful virgin daughter though...

Ayame: waves Hi Naruto!

Naruto: Virgin...? What does that mean anyway?

Ayame: evil smile It has something to do with something even better than ramen.

Naruto: EVEN BETTER?! lets go of Ichiraku and hugs Ayame I'm there! What do we do first?

Ayame: Well...

Hinata: GENTLE FIST! hits Ayame out of the way Hands off my man, bitch! Naruto, I'LL show you what's more fun than ramen!

Ino: Hell no you shrinking violet! He's the only good man around here to be had and I'm not letting you take him!

Sakura: Hey! He's been crushing on me!

Tenten: I want to be more than a background character, or a love interest for Neji and/or Lee! Out of my way bitches!

Temari: blasts them all with wind I owe him for changing my brother! And besides, Shikamaru's a total lazy ass when it comes to anything!

Shikamaru: I'd dispute that, but it's too troublesome...

Temari: SEE?! HE'S MINE!

Hinata: NO, MINE!

Ino: MINE! THUNDAGA!

CRACKA-BOOM!

Sakura: OWWW! THAT'S IT! BANZAI!

Naruto watches in utter disbelief as the women fight furiously. Jiraiya walks up, and grins.

Jiraiya: Mud Wrestling no Jutsu! pulls out his sketchpad and chuckles Naruto, my boy, you may yet surpass me!

Naruto: I'm so confused...

_As am I… Why did I even write that last one…?_


	27. Deadly Sunrise

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Temari had been near panic ever since she had lost Gaara. He'd vanished, leaping out the window of the room in the inn with a manic grin on his face that boded ill for anyone in his way.

The wind mistress had a feeling she knew where her little brother had gone. She only hoped Baki and Kankuro returned to the room soon and got her note. She couldn't restrain Gaara on her own, and with him this worked up…

She'd tracked him to the forest surrounding one of the many training areas. Aside from a few unusual chakra spikes here and there she hadn't felt…  
_  
There…  
_  
Temari shivered as the faint but distinct taste of Gaara's killing intent washed over her. That she could feel it this far away spoke to how angry he was.

She leaped into the air and spread her fan, gliding as fast as she could while following the source of the chakra spikes. Skimming over the trees, they got stronger, strong enough for her to pick out more chakra signatures. Temari frowned. Whoever Gaara was attacking, they weren't pushovers. He wouldn't be putting out so much energy if they were.

An image of a blond boy with whiskers flashed into her mind. Her eyes widened as one of the chakra signatures was now in range, close enough for her to recognize it.  
_  
Him…? But… This aura…!  
_  
She at last caught sight of the clearing where the fight was taking place, and descended into the trees, fan shutting as she began jumping from branch to branch. She could see two Sabaku Kyū floating in the air in front of Gaara, his manic grin obvious. Before Gaara stood the blond, Keyblade out, still standing, though he looked somewhat tired.

A wave of sand erupted from the ground in front of the blond and he was enveloped, struggling to free himself. Temari cringed. She couldn't do anything… Not now. Gaara would kill him; kill the other people in the Sabaku Kyū, just like he'd killed hundreds of others without effort.

Her head drooped slightly. Not only could he not be a demon container but…  
_  
I actually thought… I actually thought this guy was the actual Keybearer?_ The wind mistress asked herself. She felt bitterness rise up in her chest, a reflex after so many years of disappointment and disillusion.  
_  
I should have known… There's no such thing… There never was…  
_  
She turned away as the sand completely covered the blond. She couldn't watch this, she just…  
_  
FWOOSH!  
_  
Temari gasped and turned back, eyes widening. She blinked several times, jaw nearly to the forest floor.  
_  
It's… It's the same… The same as before!_

The blond was out of the sand, standing right back up as a red aura surrounded him. The deadly grains pushed against the crimson barrier, wanting the boy's blood, but they could not penetrate the shield of sheer power now enveloping the blond.

The boy shifted his stance, Keyblade held out to the side, and Temari saw it was as red as his aura, cruel, curled blades like tails coiled together into a single weapon.

At last he raised his head, his spiky bangs obscuring his face despite being blown by the force of the red chakra. Temari noted the deep red of his eyes, the darker, more deeply defined whisker marks, and the sharper teeth in his mouth.

But most of all, she noted the feral smirk on his face. Predatory confidence in his narrowed eyes and bared teeth. A confidence that made a shiver go down her spine, a shiver that had absolutely nothing to do with fear.

_Another demon… with the Keyblade,_ she thought, awe and terror filling her equally as the blond at last spoke.

"You wanted to see what's inside of me, right?" He asked with a bark of dark laughter. He grinned, raising the Keyblade over his head.

"Guess I'll just have to show you, if you want to see it that badly," the boy smirked. The Keyblade burned with red fire as he slashed it down in front of him. The fire expanded with the swing, the outline of a massive tail forming and sweeping everything in front of him. The sand was blasted back, the Sabaku Kyū were disrupted and fell apart, their captives released and falling to the ground safely. Temari recognized them both from the preliminaries-A Hyuuga girl and a member of the Yamanaka clan.

The boy strode forward between both girls, who followed his steps with eyes as wide as hers felt. He stopped right in front of his two friends, facing Gaara down. The blond kept grinning as Gaara did the same right back.

"There you are," Gaara laughed sickly, red chakra reflected in his darkening eyes.

Naruto's grin widened just a bit more, the manic prankster loose once more. Only the edge he possessed was no longer lethal to one's pride alone.

"Here I am!"

He swung the Keyblade again, and another burst of crimson chakra lashed against Gaara, blasting him back down the road to be caught by a cushion of sand.

"I have no idea how I'm doing that. But I _like_ it," the blond snickered. "I wouldn't have learned it if not for you, fucker! Let me _thank you_, Uzumaki Naruto style!"

With that he _moved_,and Gaara was once again airborne. Naruto followed, another chakra-charged swing of his Keyblade slamming Gaara back down into another crater. Sand lashed out but was deflected, all the while Naruto's grin didn't let up for a second.

Hinata actually shivered as she watched Naruto fight. Every strike, every blow was so fast, so _powerful._ She turned on her Byakugan and smiled at the warmth she felt, the beauty of the fury within him.

All to save her. For _her._ He was so _magnificent_…

Ino had curled up into a fetal position, shaking and desperately trying to stifle sobs. The sheer _rage_, the _terror_ filling her… And the manic gleam in Naruto's eyes as he effortlessly knocked kicked and slammed Gaara around.

She knew Naruto wasn't the Kyuubi, she _knew this,_ but the sheer weight of that demonic chakra _flooding_ over her mind…

It was like being smothered in violence, in cruel mockery, in hate. It reduced her to a scared, crying little girl who couldn't look away no matter what.

As for Naruto… The first time he had used the Kyuubi's chakra, he hadn't been able to fully catalogue all of the sensations. He'd mostly just felt rage, rage at Sasuke being killed, and a burning sensation. If he had to describe it, he'd have to say it was like being on fire. It was a fire that could only be put out by the death of the one who had wronged him.

Now though… Feeling the Kyuubi's chakra running through him … He had to say he liked the sensation. No, like wasn't strong enough. _Love_ was far better. It was warm, like fur hugging his body inside and out. A pleasant buzz was in his head, but rather than being distracting it enhanced his awareness: More than anything else, he felt powerful, _alive_.

He wanted to take on the whole world, wanted to destroy every bastard who would _ever_ threaten the people he loved. And beating them down, each and every time would be a _pleasure._

Naruto cackled in glee as he once again easily blocked tendrils of sand Gaara kept whipping out at him. A burst of chakra and he was behind the redheaded boy, twirling the Keyblade by its chain. Grasping the swirling seal charm on the end of the keychain, Naruto slipped it over Gaara's head and over his neck. He pulled on the chain as the sand around Gaara tried to attack him but was repulsed by his furious aura. Gaara himself struggled, hands coming up to try and break the improvised garrote, but Naruto kept tugging, kept grinning.

_**Do it… Kill him,**_ the Kyuubi breathed lustily in his mind. _**Choke the life out of him…**_

A muffled sob floated past his ears, and he looked up, startled. Over Gaara's shaking shoulder he saw a pale, shivering form on the ground. The haze of the Kyuubi's chakra tinted everything red, but he could easily identify Ino, tear-filled eyes boring right into him.

_She cowers, cowers before the monster in the guise of her friend…_

_**But you enjoy it, don't you?**_ The feeling of warm arms encircling his chest, of a _very_ feminine bosom pressing against his back appeared.

_**You relish it… Snuffing out his life… Being a monster…**_

"_NO!"_

Shock is a splash of cold water in the face as he lets go of the chain, backing away. Gaara falls forward, choking for breath as his sand weaves above him protectively, ready for another strike…

The sand falls apart, hitting the ground and lying still just as suddenly as the red haze of the fox's power vanishes. Confused, Naruto is startled when the tall Suna jounin appears, single visible eye narrowing at something behind him. The blonde girl with the fan, Temari he recalls, is already tending to her brother, shooting furtive glances his way.

"I apologize for my subordinate's behavior," Baki says stiffly, giving a slight bow.

"Make sure it doesn't happen again," a voice behind Naruto says, and the blond turns, startled at Jiraiya and a tiger-masked ANBU standing solemnly. The Sannin's eyes are narrowed, uncharacteristically serious.

He turns back to see Baki nod, before turning and swiftly ushering Gaara and Temari to their feet. He doesn't spare another glance and leaps off into the trees, Temari helping her little brother along. Gaara turns his head, still breathing hard, murderous rage burning in his eyes.

"I'll kill you… I'll kill you all," he swears. Temari casts a last look at Naruto, making the Keybearer feel a bit odd. He stares back. She turns her face away and leaps into the trees after her teacher, still supporting Gaara… But Naruto could have sworn her cheeks turned red.

"Okay… Can someone please tell me what the hell just happened?" Naruto demanded as he turned around. Jiraiya scowls and clocks his student on the head.

"OW!"

"That's my line, brat! What were you thinking, fighting him like that with the Kyuubi's chakra?!" Jiraiya shouted. Naruto growled.

"HEY! I didn't start it, _he did!_ The bastard attacked me! I had to use the Fox's chakra to beat him!"

"Th-That's right," Hinata said quietly, standing up and walking to Naruto's side, a bit unsteadily. Her eyes were determined despite her uneven steps.

"Naruto-kun saved us," she added. Naruto turned around, eyes widening when he realized-

"VIVI!"

"Right here, ow," the little Black Mage managed, limping over to the group. Hinata quickly ran over and cast _Cure, _which let Vivi stand up straight, glowing eyes bright again.

"He kept Gaara from killing the girls when I was knocked out," he continued. Naruto grinned at this, before turning to Ino.

She had gotten back to her feet, raising her head back up. Their eyes met for only a moment, and Naruto could see them widen before she quickly turned her head away.

"Y-Yeah… He did," she mumbled, subdued and quiet. Naruto frowned and turned back to his teacher, who sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"You're just lucky Yamato was assigned patrol here," Jiraiya spoke. The ANBU bowed slightly, and Naruto blinked in confusion.

"Eh? Why?"

Jiraiya waved his hand.

"Never mind that brat. Just get home. You've got three days before the tournament. I suggest you rest up before getting in some last minute practice!"

Naruto scowled, but before he could protest Jiraiya and Yamato vanished in a poof of smoke. Shaking his head, he turned to his three friends.

"Everyone's all right?"

"Uh huh," Hinata nodded, smiling shyly at him. Vivi nodded as well, leaning slightly forward on his staff. Ino bit her lip, but managed a small nod.

"Then... Let's go home... I'm really tired," Naruto sighed, head down as he turned to trudge down the road.

He felt Ino's eyes on his back the whole way, and he tried to restrain a shudder.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

The outskirts of Traverse Town were rocky foothills, a vast sea of grasses, scraggly trees, and large boulders. While there was life in this land, it was rare to hear more than the single chirp of a bird.

Much less a thousand of them.

_BOOM!_ Debris clattered around him, pebbles falling like the rain onto the hard ground. Sasuke withdrew his hand from the fissure in the rock, breathing hard. His Sharingan tomoe spun as he stepped back and appreciated the damage he'd done.

"Very nice," Kakashi complimented nearby, sitting on another boulder. "You've managed to focus your power more efficiently than before."

"Hn," Sasuke acknowledged, looking down at his fingers. Compared to the last few times he'd attempted the _Chidori,_ this was far less painful. Kakashi got up, walking over to his student's side.

"You probably have been instinctively channeling some of your magical ability into the jutsu. As your natural affinity is towards lightening, this has improved the focus." Kakashi eye-smiled at his student.

"You show massive potential, Sasuke."

The Uchiha managed a very, _very_ small smile at that, and nodded.

"Thanks…"

"Potential? Feh."

Both ninja turned at the voice of Leon, standing some distance away, arms crossed over his chest. On either side stood Aerith, offering an encouraging smile to Sasuke, and Yuffie, looking a little concerned.

"Ah. Time for the spar, yes?" Asked Kakashi. Leon nodded.

"Right here should do," the scarred warrior spoke. Kakashi nodded and walked some distance away from his student, sending one last nod his way. Sasuke returned it, and faced Leon, who moved forward away from the two women.

"Good luck, Sasuke!" Yuffie called.

Aerith just winked, an action that almost made Sasuke blush. He managed a small smile back, before his face became serious once more. Leon stopped only a few meters away, stony-faced. A cool breeze blew around them.

"Before we begin, Sasuke Uchiha, tell me this," Leon spoke. "What are you willing to do, to achieve your revenge?"

"… Anything," Sasuke stated flatly. Leon nodded.

"Nothing would stop you? Nothing would make you hesitate, to get the power you needed to kill your brother?" Leon further asked. Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"_Nothing."_

"Fine. _Haste,"_ Leon cast, vanishing from Sasuke's sight. The Uchiha's eyes widened as Leon reappeared right beside Aerith, his gunblade out and held to her throat.

"Squall, what the hell are you doing?" Yuffie demanded. Aerith's eyes widened as Leon glared at Sasuke.

"Kill Aerith, Sasuke. Kill her, and you'll have _all_ the power you could want."

"WHAT?! Have you gone batshit crazy?!" Yuffie screeched. Sasuke's jaw dropped a little.

"It's pretty simple. Kill Aerith, and I'll teach you everything I know. Every spell, every move. I'll even teach you how to draw magic out of your foes and add it to your own. That's what the Sharingan lets you do, isn't it? Steal what you need to fight?" Leon spat, ignoring Yuffie's cries.

"Leon-" Kakashi began, but was silenced by a glare. The silver-haired ninja tensed, battle-ready.

"Don't try anything Kakashi. You can't pull anything on me at this distance in time. It's all up to your _student,"_ Leon sneered.

"You realize I can stop him easily," Kakashi returned. Squall snorted.

"It will give me the answer I seek either way."

The only sound that could be heard was the blowing wind, as Sasuke glared in anger at Leon. The gunblader's expression was deathly cold.

"… Kakashi-sensei… Is he that strong?" Sasuke asked quietly, eyes locked with Leon's Yuffie gasped.

"Sasuke, what the fuck?! Are you nuts?!"

Kakashi sighed, bowing his head slightly.

"He is. At his full strength, he is more than a match for me. He has fought as long, and as hard as I have most of his life. And he has access to powers I do not."

Silence followed. Sasuke kept glaring at Leon, hate billowing up inside him. That cold expression, it was so like… _Him._

_"If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live in an unsightly way... Run, and cling to life, and then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."_

The same eyes… The secret of Itachi's power…

_Eyes…_

He glanced away from Squall's cold grey eyes to Aerith's, expecting fear, maybe even anger at how he was considering…

_What…?_ _Why…?_

Sasuke couldn't believe it. She was _smiling_ at him, serenely, as though she didn't have a care in the world. As though she didn't have a gunblade pointed right at her head.

_As though he wasn't contemplating her murder._

Her eyes were warm and open. Not in the least bit tense or deceitful.

Sasuke blinked. _She…? Why…?_

"Well Sasuke? What's it going to be?" Leon posed.

"You're _insane,_ Leon… Why the hell are you _doing this?!"_ Yuffie grit out, as thought she were fighting back sobs. Kakashi stood still, still in a battle stance, lone visible eye glaring.

Sasuke looked back at Aerith, still smiling _right at him…_

_Stop smiling damnit!_ He wanted to scream. _Don't you know I'm thinking about killing you?! Even after everything you've done for me?!_

Sasuke gritted his teeth, and drew his sword. Yuffie and Kakashi both turned their attention to him, the kunoichi putting a hand to the Conformer strapped to her back. Kakashi just _looked_ at him, with that unreadable expression. Sasuke turned back to Aerith, still smiling at him, still with those damnable eyes…

Sasuke took a deep, shuddering breath. He looked Leon back in the eyes, the burning crimson of his Sharingan meeting cold grey pupils.

The Uchiha took a deep breath… And dropped his sword, still glaring defiantly at Leon. The weapon clattered to the ground, filling the tense silence.

"No."

"No?" Leon asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No, I won't kill her. I _won't_ learn from someone like _him._ Someone who _plays_ with their power over others," Sasuke spat. The tense atmosphere continued… Before Leon finally smirked, and slowly let his sword drop.

"Guess I was wrong about you…" Leon's eyes narrowed. "Make sure I _stay_ wrong."

_POW!_ The gunblader was slammed into the ground from the force of the punch to his temple, eyes spinning. Aerith glowered, rubbing her knuckles.

"_Next_ time you want to _use_ me for some kind of macho life lesson, _ask_ me first," she growled. Ignoring Yuffie's sadistic grin and Kakashi's eye smile, Aerith walked over to the rather freaked out Sasuke and gave him a hug.

"Hey, sorry about that. Leon's _such_ a drama queen sometimes. You okay?" She asked. Sasuke blinked.

"Why did you…? Did you know he wouldn't…?"

"Well, I _figured_ he wouldn't kill me," Aerith admitted. "But, more than that… I knew _you_ wouldn't," she smiled at Sasuke. The Uchiha blushed hard, and looked away with a grimace. Aerith laughed.

"Oh come on, don't be that way! It was very sweet how you threw down your sword for me. Almost heroic."

"No it wasn't. I'm just not going to kill a defenseless woman," Sasuke grumbled, pulling away and stooping to pick his sword up. He stood back up and sheathed it, head bowed, before walking off with his face burning bright red. Aerith followed with a bright smile. Both completely ignored Yuffie's furious beating of Leon, along with said gunblader's increasingly girlier sounding screams.

"Oh, you say that _now_. But you made a cute melodramatic speech and _everything,_" Aerith teased. "Bet you wish you had a Chocobo to ride off into the sunset with!"

"A _what_?" Sasuke asked; anger and embarrassment temporarily interrupted for confusion. Aerith laughed.

"I'll explain on the way home…"

After Yuffie was done with him (and had leaped away to follow Aerith and Sasuke), Leon groaned and struggled to get back up. Kakashi leaned over him with that infuriating eye-smile of his.

"You still owe him a spar, you know," Kakashi pointed out. Leon scowled.

"I will, you bastard… Just had to make sure… _Who_ I'd be fighting."

Kakashi nodded.

"Hm, yes, two pissed off women. _Very_ insightful."

"Shut up!"

- - - - - - - - - -

The cheerful sun, the great breakfast her mother prepared for her, the promise of Vivi teaching her a new spell… Nothing could wipe the scowl from Ino's face. The dark aura of her bad mood inspired Vivi to rush ahead to the training area before her.

She leaped over rooftops sullenly, in no mood to arrive on time.

At the usual meeting place, Hinata and Naruto were already talking as Ino approached. She caught a few snippets of their conversation, and her mood worsened.

"So… The Kyuubi's chakra… How did it feel?" Hinata's soft voice carried. Naruto rubbed the back of his head, frowning in thought.

"Well, it was weird... I mean before, I just felt angry, but this time..." Naruto shook

his head. "It felt... Good, to use it."

"It... It did look like you were... Enjoying yourself," Hinata observed, blushing slightly. Naruto shrugged, clearly bothered by the line of questioning. Hinata saw this and blushed.

"S-Sorry…"

"No… It's okay," Naruto sighed. He rubbed the back of his head again. "It's… Let's just not talk about it, okay?"

"Okay," Hinata nodded. She turned her gaze away from Naruto, spotting Ino and giving her a welcome smile.

"G-Good morning, Ino-san," Hinata greeted. Naruto turned his head and grinned at the blonde girl, missing her fidget at his gaze.

"Oh, hey Ino-chan! What's up?" Naruto asked brightly. "Er, I mean, Ino-sensei..."

"Nothing." Ino said with a stark coldness in her voice as she walked over to join Vivi.

"Eh? Nothing?" Naruto asked, blinking. Hinata frowned, easily detecting the tension coming off Ino.

"Ready to begin when you are," Vivi said. He coughed. "Unless you'd like to wait? Maybe take a day off?"

The Black Mage had never been particularly good staying near other magic adepts in bad moods. Their magical auras were flavored by their emotional state, and to someone with good magic senses, like him, were heavily affected by it. Vivi had learned to block some of the emotion out, but it was still unpleasant.

"No, it's just..." Ino shook her head. "Never mind, let's just start training."

"Okay," Vivi began. "I was thinking we do more Reflect practice with Naruto, then Haste practice for you to dodge his spells."

"Hey yeah!" Naruto said with a grin. "Let's find out if the Kyuubi chakra works with my

spells!"

His laugh was a little strained, but still… Jiraiya had told him to practice. Practice brought control, after all.

"A-Are you sure, Naruto? It won't tire you out?" Hinata asked.

Ino shivered visibly when Naruto suggested that, and clenched her teeth slightly. She studiously avoided his gaze.

Hinata frowned.

"Ino? Are you okay?" The Hyuuga heiress asked quietly.

Naruto grinned.

"Hey, c'mon Ino-sensei! If it can let me summon Gamabunta, who knows what it can do if I put it in a spell-!"

"No."

"Huh?" Naruto asked.

"No! We can… We can practice with something else!" Ino stated. Naruto glanced at Hinata, who tapped her fingers together. He turned back to Ino and smiled back.

"C'mon Ino… I need to train with it… The more control I have over it the better, right?"

"_NO!_" Ino shouted as she whirled on him. Her brow knit, her cheeks flushed in anger, she gripped her staff as though ready to attack.

Naruto gaped in surprise, until irritation set his mouth moving again.

"Hey, what's your problem? If you don't want to help, that's fine, but you don't have to scream about it!"

"You don't get it, do you? God Naruto you're such an _idiot_!"

"What the-?! What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, angry and confused.

"E-Everybody, please, j-just calm down," Hinata tried quietly.

"You're just going to start going around using _that_ chakra after what happened yesterday!?" Ino hollered at him. "After the way you acted, after what happened you _want_ to _just_ use it like that!?"

Naruto blinked, and shook his head with a glare.

"Look, I need to learn how to control it! It's not like I'm going to be attacking _you _with it-!"

"I don't know _what_ you'll be doing when you're using it, _again!"_ The kunoichi snarled. "That's the _whole problem!"_

"Hey, I couldn't stop Gaara from killing you and Hinata-chan without it! The more control I have over it, the better!" Naruto shouted back.

"H-He did save us, I-Ino," Hinata pointed out quietly.

Ino's face turned red, eyes narrowing. Naruto cringed, already moving to block the lightening strike sure to come…

"_Idiots!"_ She hissed, turning on her heel and stomping off furiously into the trees. Naruto blinked after her, confusion and hurt in his eyes. Hinata was tapping her fingers together once more. The Keybearer looked over at Vivi, the black mage shrugging in response.

"Damnit," Naruto muttered, running after her. Vivi shook his head, getting off his rock and walking over to Hinata. Both watched Naruto vanish into the forest, Hinata moving to activate her Byakugan to follow.

"Are you sure you should be watching?" The Black Mage asked. Hinata scowled, reminiscent of the time she'd leaped into Naruto and Ino's first 'training' session. Vivi coughed.

"Nevermind…" He squeaked.

- - - - - - - - - -

"Ino, would you just-!"

"No!"

"C'mon, I just want to-!"

"No!"

Naruto growled, rubbing the back of his head as Ino stalked further into the trees.

_What is her deal?!_

"For crying out-!"

Naruto vanished and reappeared in front of Ino, crossing his arms over his chest. Ino stopped and glared at him, not meeting his eyes.

"… Since when do you know _Shunshin no Jutsu?"_ She muttered angrily. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"I only couldn't do _Bunshin,_"the Keybearer stated flatly. Ino snorted.

"I suppose when you've got a _demon_ stuck in your belly-!"

"Is _this_ what this is about?!" Naruto snarled, grabbing Ino's shoulders. "You… You're just like-!"

"Naruto, _no! _God, no!" Ino cried, shoving back away. She glowered at him.

"What, you _really_ think I'm that shallow?! What a great judge of character you are!"

"Well I'm not the one thinking that I'm _the demon!_ After _saying_ you _knew_ I wasn't!" Naruto bellowed. 

Ino seethed.

"FUCK YOU! I'm not the one who _went nuts_ when he decided to let loose his demon!"

Ino had her back pressed into a tree painfully, her vision filled with deadly scarlet eyes. She acutely felt the pain of his fingernails biting into the flesh of her upper arms, the killing intent crashing over her senses. Her mouth hung open, Naruto's breath washing over her tongue.

"You think it's so _fucking easy?_ With that _**bitch**_in my head, _taunting_ me all the time?!" Naruto snarled, Ino acutely feeling his burning body pressing against her front.

"I _had _to _use _her _power to save you!_ I don't _regret it,_ but it's _not so damn simple!"_

"Naruto," Ino whimpered, "please, you're hurting me…"

Naruto shut his eyes tightly, and the grip on her arms lessened. Taking deep breaths, he stepped away from her, turning away. Ino held her hands up to her arms, fingertips running over small bruises. Her gaze was firmly on Naruto, as he finally reopened his eyes and turned back. Ino felt some tension leave her chest at the fact his eyes had returned to their usual blue.

"… I'm sorry," Naruto murmured. Ino shook her head, rubbing her arms.

"You're…"

"This… This is why I need to train," he murmured. He shook his head and looked back at her.

"Naruto…"

"I'm sorry, I just…"

Ino moved forward, wrapping her arms around him. Surprised, he immediately stiffened.

_What is she…?_

"Naruto… When you used that chakra, you were… You were like _him,"_ Ino murmured. She shivered.

"It… Ero-Sennin said-"

"_Forget_ what he _said!"_ Ino snarled. Naruto gaped at her in utter disbelief.

"Naruto, the _Hokage_ said that that _thing's_ chakra pours right into your heart when you use it with the Keyblade! I don't give a _damn_ what that old pervert thinks you should do! That's just…!" She grit her teeth, hugging him more tightly.

"Ino… I couldn't stop him without the Kyuubi's chakra," Naruto said flatly. Ino shook her head.

"Okay, okay, _fine…_ It's…" She took a deep breath.

"Naruto… I _know_ you couldn't… I _know_ you saved our lives, and I am _grateful_… But if you keep using the Kyuubi's chakra…" Ino shook her head. Naruto sighed.

"I know, I _know…_ It felt… So good, being that strong… And she kept telling me to want to kill him, rip him apart…" He shook his head, narrowing his eyes.

"I won't use it then… Not if I can help it…"

Ino nodded.

"Good…"

A tickle in her mind made her eyes shift away from Naruto, the pale form of Hinata slightly covered in the shadows of the trees. She awkwardly let Naruto go and coughed.

"We're… Um…"

Hinata frowned, shaking her head.

"But... But Naruto... The finals..."

"Well, I'll just have to practice hard enough that I won't need to use the Kyuubi to beat

Neji!" Naruto stated, flashing his trademark grin at her. Hinata cocked her head.

"B-But…"

Naruto shook his head.

"No… I'm only going to use it… If I don't have _any_ other choice," he stated firmly. Hinata nodded.

"I… I understand," she said, smiling encouragingly. Naruto nodded back and summoned the Keyblade.

"Well then… Let's go to work!"(_New)_

- - - - - - - - - -

"A red sun rises… A portent of things to come…"

Sarutobi sighed and turned away from the window. His arms crossed behind his back, he looked over his desk. There were stacks of paperwork, family photos, small mementoes of his life as a ninja and a Hokage. He chuckled darkly. He'd always been somewhat self reflective, never at the expense of what was going on outside but still, he knew himself.

Mastery of the mind and body were crucial to a shinobi. Like a poorly made kunai, a poorly controlled mind would shatter in battle. The life of a shinobi hardened them, but only if they survived. To do that required common sense and self-knowledge, neither of which was easy to obtain.

In the end, even with his long years of experience, Sarutobi knew he was not infallible. Indeed, this day, his village and everything he had accomplished might be brought to ruin because of his mistake. His failing.

_Orochimaru…_

He steeled his jaw. _No…_

Today, it ended. One way or another. And even if Konoha fell into darkness… There would still be hope.

He simply did not wish that outcome on his surrogate grandson. Legends be damned, Naruto did not deserve the weight of the fate of the universe on his shoulders. Hokage… Bah! Compared to the Keybearer, the Hokage was a stable boy.

"Sarutobi?"

The Hokage chuckled morbidly. The presence, the voice-All _might_ be faked, but the fact she never called him anything but his first name? That was genuine.

"I never could hear you coming, could I?"

His visitor's smile showed up in her voice. "Not when you were deep in thought. Not the most becoming feature of a warrior, I must say."

"Nothing more to say on all this 'ninja rubbish'?" Sarutobi posed. His visitor sniffed.

"I've said all I have to say on the subject. My charges… They are ready?"

"Both of them," Sarutobi replied. "And both unaware."

"Honestly Sarutobi… Denying the reality of their positions. What good has that done anyone?" His visitor clucked her tongue disapprovingly. Sarutobi snorted.

"What good has overwhelming them with the reality of their positions done? The will of fire is in them… But it must be tempered carefully."

"Hmph. A spoonful of sugar will help any bad medicine go down," his visitor stated. "But if that is how you wish things to be done, then it will be done."

"Thank you," Sarutobi replied gratefully. He sensed his visitor ready herself to leave, but felt only confusion when she seemed to pause.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"… Just one thing, Sarutobi. Don't die," she spoke quietly. Sarutobi frowned and turned back to look at his visitor.

"It may come to that-"

"Nonsense. You know that fatalism never suited you, and it doesn't suit you now. So… Don't die," his visitor repeated, some of her trademark sternness softening around her eyes. Sarutobi chuckled.

"Fine… I won't die. I promise."

"I'll hold you to that, Sarutobi," his visitor stated primly, before vanishing without any fanfare. Sarutobi sighed and looked back out the window at the slowly rising sun.

_A promise… Is a promise,_ he told himself. Sarutobi nodded once to himself, before turning away from the windows. He walked over to another door in the office and opened it, casting light into a sealed closet. Between the stacks of scrolls and books, hanging against the wall, were various pieces of black battle armor. Sarutobi smiled grimly as he walked towards the old, but well-maintained armor.

_And this is definitely one I'm going to try and keep…_

- - - - - - - - - - -

Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves, was an incredibly misleading name. Its population was in the thousands, it had its own stadium, massive training areas, the massive Hokage's Tower right in the center of it, and what was essentially _Mount Ninja Rushmore, _as it would be described in another world. To be entirely accurate it was more of a city, perhaps even a small city-state in its own right.

Tradition, however, was tradition. No matter how large Konoha grew, it would remain a village in name, if nothing else. But no matter its size, like any other community, it had numerous professions and underappreciated civilian vocations to keep it clean and running. One of them was chimney sweeping, and in a "village" as large as Konoha, you needed a lot of people to sweep all of the chimneys in it.

At least one, anyway.

"Da da dada, da da dada, da da, da da…A Ninja's as… Ninja… as… oh, wudja just blast it all?"

The sweep leaned up against the entrance to an alleyway, setting his brush down. It was nearly morning, and the sun was beginning to rise, but the stars were still out on the other side of the sky.

"I can think up entire musical numbers roight on the spot, but I can't come up with a single verse about Ninja," he sighed, running his fingers through his new moustache.

"Yer losing it, you old sop… yer gettin' to old fer all this…"

"Now, we both know that this isn't true…" there was a soft, female voice and click of heels on pavement from behind him. "There's nobody I'd trust more for this job than you."

"You do me too kind, my lovely," he chirped, taking great care to look anywhere besides that alleyway.

"Now now," said the woman. "None of that."

"Professional as always, aren't you?" he grinned. "Are they ready?"

"I just spoke with Sarutobi," she said. "You're to pick up the older one and bring her with you. The younger one is my responsibility, and we're to meet up at the usual place."

"Just how old is 'the older one'?"

"Ever so cheeky," said the woman, somehow managing to laugh sternly. "There'll be no time for that. The fate of all the worlds is at stake."

"Not even time enough for a little-" he said, turning around to find the alleyway empty. "…practically perfect."

He picked up his brush and walked off, singing a little song to himself.

"_Winds in the east, mist coming in,_

_Like somethin' is brewin' and bout to begin._

_Can't put me finger on what lies in store,_

_But I fear what's to happen all happened before."_

He sighed.

"I'd better get the car."(_New)_

- - - - - - - - - - -

Regardless of whatever mistreatment had been leveled at him by the world, there had always been a few constants in Naruto's life that kept him going. Some were fairly obvious, like the Sandaime and Iruka-sensei, and the Ichirakus. But Naruto had to admit, the sun was pretty good on its own too. Always shining, always _there_, even behind rain clouds. So sure, it was a small favor, but Naruto was kind of happy about the sun being out today, the day of the finals.

He walked down a village street, belly full of fruits and ramen from breakfast, Keyblade ready to be called up at a moment's notice. People ignored him as he went by, and he ignored them right back.

"Naruto!" The blonde turned his head at the call, and grinned as he spied Konohamaru in a side alley, waving at him. He walked up to the Hokage's grandson.

"Konohamaru! How goes it?"

"Not bad," the little boy replied. "Just checking out this shortcut I found!"

"Shortcut?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow. Konohamaru nodded.

"Yeah! It leads right into the stadium! I wanted to take it so I could sneak in."

"Don't you have class today?" Naruto asked with a raised eyebrow. Konohamaru huffed.

"I'll make it in time! I just wanted to see if I could sneak in, that's all!"

"Well, at this rate I'll be late for the finals. Take me through it?" Naruto asked. Konohamaru grinned.

"Sure! Hop in, boss!"

A wild and dangerous ride through a water carrying pipe later…

_SPLASH!_

"GYAHHHH! HOT HOT HOT!" Naruto yelped, leaping out of and on top of the water. Konohamaru had landed on the pavement, and was looking at the blond in concern.

"Hey Naruto, you okay?"

"Yeah, I… Wait…" Naruto glared. "This is a _shortcut?_ I'm farther away from the stadium than I was before!"

Indeed, it was the hot springs open air bath he'd practiced water walking with Ebisu before. The genin glared at the Sandaime's son, who looked around in confusion.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, eheh," Konohamaru answered with a bashful grin. "Um… Ah ha! Follow me!" The eight year old ran over to a few stables nearby, and Naruto followed. He blinked as Konohamaru opened one of the doors and pulled a very large bull with a red blanket over it. Naruto scratched his head.

"You've got to be kidding me."

"No no! These bulls are some of the Daimyo's! They're really fast!"

"Thanks Konohamaru, but I think I'll get there the old fashioned way. See you later!" Naruto waved goodbye before leaping up onto a rooftop and kicking off from there, eyes locked firmly onto the gleaming dome of the stadium ahead.

"Hey wait! What am I supposed to do with this bull?" Konohamaru shouted after… Before becoming acutely aware of heavy, moist breath puffing against his back. He turned and smiled nervously at the annoyed-looking bull.

"Ah… Nice bull… _Good_ bull…"

"_HUUURRRR!"_ The animal bellowed, nostrils flaring as it charged. Konohamaru turned and ran for his life.

"WAAAAHHHHH!" He screamed, as more and more bulls began to chase him, drawn from their stalls by the yelling. Konohamaru risked a look back. His eyes widened.

He ran faster.

"UWWAAAHHHHH! HELP MEEEEE!"

- - - - - - - -

Hinata, Ino reflected, made for a pretty good friend. She was kind, intelligent, very shy but once you got around it perfectly engaging, and very loyal. But at the moment, Ino's favorite reason for having Hinata for a friend was very much like one of her reasons for having Naruto for a friend.

She was absolutely adorable when she was freaking out. Wringing her hands, pacing, slightly flushed, wide eyed.

_If I could get a picture of this I'd make millions,_ Ino idly reflected as the Hyuuga fretted in front of her. The two were waiting outside the entrance to the stadium, ignoring the last spectators headed in.

"Oh, where could he be? He's going to be late! What if he slept in? What if his alarm clock broke? It's not in very good condition, I should loan him one of mine-!" Hinata went on. Ino smirked in a very cat-like way.

"So, you know the condition of his _clock_, hm? What _else_ do you know about him?"

Hinata blushed furiously.

"I, uh… I-That's not important! What if he's in trouble! He needs to be here! What if he's late?"

"Relax Hinata, relax," Ino soothed, deciding to let Hinata off the hook about the alarm clock.

_Definitely need to press her for more details though…_

"Vivi, can you sense him?" Ino asked. The nearby invisible black mage hummed thoughtfully.

"No… But something else is coming… Feel that?"

Ino frowned, and narrowed her eyes. Though rudimentary, her ability to sense magic had come to her nearly instinctively. She immediately saw what Vivi was talking about.

"Forehead?" The blonde gaped in disbelief. The approaching pink-haired girl grinned confidently at her, strutting along in a tight black leather, sleeveless top that was partially unzipped, a short black skirt under a white utility apron/belt, and ankle-high black and white ninja sneakers. A pair of black leather gloves were stuffed securely in her belt.

What was more…

"Ino, stop staring at my rack. I'm not that way," Sakura greeted with a catty smile. Ino's jaw fell open while Hinata felt the urge to faint. Thankfully still invisible, Vivi stifled an exasperated sigh.

"Wh-Wh-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SAYING, BILLBOARD BROW?!" Ino shrieked. "I'M NOT THAT WAY, AND EVEN IF I WAS I COULD DO FAR BETTER THAN YOU!"

Sakura, rather than screaming in fury at the hated nickname, just laughed.

"Oh c'mon, lighten up Ino-Pig. It's just a joke," she giggled. Ino returned to her impression of a fish while Hinata just gawked.

"Forehead, what the hell happened to you?" Ino demanded. "I mean, you're..."

"Strong, Ino-Pig. I became strong," Sakura said with a smirk. Ino's pale eyes widened as Sakura's magical signature increased in strength, easily matching her own.

_Strong? No kidding..._

"You'd be amazed at what can change when you've got someone who cares enough about you to train you," Sakura went on with a snort, a certain masked jounin on her mind. She scowled, fists clenching, a dark rage building inside her. Hinata and Ino both stared as a fairly potent amount of killing intent fell over them from Sakura. It wasn't crippling, but it was strong. _Much_ stronger than before.

And then, just as quickly it seemed to vanish, and Sakura was wearing her bright, confident smile once more.

"So, waiting for Naruto?" Sakura asked brightly. Ino managed a numb kind of nod, and Sakura grinned mischievously in response.

"Good. I want to give him something for good luck," she went on with a wink. Hinata ground her teeth and Ino felt her grip on her staff tighten.

"I… I do too," Hinata managed quietly, looking down a bit. Sakura eagerly smiled.

"Really Hinata? Can you show me?"

"W-Well, um, I uh…" Hinata stammered. A burst of jealousy-induced courage had her hand fishing around in her weapon's pouch and producing a small, shaped charm on a chain. Ino grinned as Sakura cooed.

"It's very cute, Hinata-chan," Sakura complimented. Hinata blushed harder but managed to hold it up.

"Kur-Kurenai-sensei helped me with it," she mumbled, dangling the charm embarrassedly. It was metallic, composed of a small, eight-point blue sun with a proud orange spiral on the front.

Despite the weirdness of the new Sakura, Ino managed a teasing smile at Hinata.

"So, the maelstrom inside the sun, hm?"

Hinata's entire body turned bright red, it seemed every inch of her skin was glowing in embarrassment. Her fellow females' smiles grew.

"Very… _Symbolic,_" Sakura purred. Mentally shrugging, but deciding to go with the flow Ino leered.

"Naruto inside Hina, hmmm?"

"I-I-er-um-!" Hinata could only stutter, as an invisible Vivi shuffled away, shaking his head with a silent chuckle. He'd move to where he could watch the matches in peace, and maybe grab some popcorn.

"Oh, hey Hinata-chan! Sakura-chan! Ino-sensei!" Naruto shouted, coming into view and waving happily.

"Naruto!" Sakura cried happily, leaping forward and wrapping the surprised Naruto in a big hug. Ino and Hinata's jaws dropped again.

"It's been a whole month! How have you been? Ready to kick Neji's butt?" Sakura eagerly inquired. Naruto blinked.

"Ah... Yeah... Thanks... Are you feeling all right, Sakura-chan?"

"Never better! Thanks for asking, Naruto!" Sakura gushed, kissing him on the cheek. Naruto flushed bright red, eyes wide. Abruptly he became aware of every aspect of Sakura pushing against him, from her warm stomach to her warmer (and markedly bigger) breasts. With all his might he tried to restrain a nosebleed, by looking away from her enticing eyes to the other two girls nearby.

Hinata had pulled out two kunai from her pouches and was gripping them tightly, Byakugan activated and glaring at Sakura's back. Ino's eye brow was twitching as she just gaped in disbelief at her rival's antics. This helped Naruto focus a bit better and pull away a bit.

"Ah, N-Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered, moving forward. With a determined expression she held out the charm. "This is for you. For you t-to win against N-Neji."

Naruto smiled broadly and took the charm, grateful not only for the gift, but the excuse it gave him to move away from Sakura. Hinata blushed but was able to smile back as Naruto stuck it into his pocket.

"Thanks Hinata-chan! This… This is awesome!" He gave her a thumbs up. "I'll _definitely_ kick Neji's ass now! Just for you!"

Hinata smiled broadly, dreamily. She felt like she wanted to faint but not out of nerves. This warm happy feeling inside just felt so warm… Like she was really being embraced by her crush…

_Naruto-kun…!_

So happy was she that she didn't notice Ino and Sakura deathglaring her with fairly intense killing intent. Naruto did though, and he gulped as he felt and saw their reactions to his words. Naturally he felt he was the one they were glaring at and not Hinata.

_What did I do? Why are they glaring at me like that?_

Ino he could figure out, he guessed, after the Kyuubi thing, but Sakura…?

"Hey, kid!" One of the chuunin at the entrance shouted, catching Naruto's attention. "They're starting the opening ceremonies! You fighting or what?"

"Oh, right! Well, see you all later!" Naruto waved, running up the steps into the stadium passageway, cutting through the large crowd. He was eager to escape. Sure, Sakura and Ino were his friends, and he had to admit Sakura's new attitude was nice, but those glares…

"'Scuse me! Pardon me! Coming through, out of the way I'm _late!"_

_Man, those two have scary mood swings!_

Ino watched Naruto go for a few seconds, before turning to the still smiling, vacantly staring Hinata.

"Well," Sakura sighed, shaking her head as the anger left her face. "I guess I'll have to wait until he wins the match to give him _my_ good luck charm." Sakura smirked as this brought Hinata out of her trance, making the blue-haired girl stare at her in slight resentment.

"Er, Hinata, we'll see you inside right?" Ino asked, grabbed Sakura's wrist and pulling her towards the entrance. Hinata nodded.

"I'll be sitting with my family," she stated quietly, still staring back stubbornly into Sakura's confident eyes.

_First Naruto, now Sakura? Was my life ever going to be normal after meeting Vivi?_ Ino thought irritably.

- - - - - - - - - -

Umino Iruka sighed heavily. He'd had a long night of grading papers, and the current noisy state of the classroom wasn't helping the sudden migraine that had popped up.

"Can anyone tell me where Konohamaru-kun is?" He asked the class at large. The chatter fell slightly in volume, before Moegi raised her hand.

"I think he was going to see Big Brother Naruto off!" She chirped. Iruka sighed and checked his watch.

"Right… Then where is he? It shouldn't take him this long…"

A distant rumbling was heard, accompanied by the sounds of mooing. A cloud of dust appeared in one of the windows, outside of the school walls, and Iruka frowned as he moved closer to the glass. Most of his class followed suit, crowding around the windows.

"What the heck is that?" He muttered. Above the rumbling and cow sounds, a single, familiar high-pitched scream became louder and louder.

"_UWAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"_

Konohamaru darted into the school training yard, shrieking in terror, just before several large bulls stampeded after him. Iruka blinked in utter disbelief as the Hokage's grandson ran around the yard, frantically trying to escape his pursuers, who like a flock of birds adjusted their course as one to keep following the small ninja in training.

"_HELP MEEEEE!"_

With a groan Iruka put a hand to his forehead, the laughter of the kids and the absurdity of the situation making his headache worse.

_I thought I'd be done with this kind of thing after Naruto graduated…_

At the thought of his student, Iruka smiled a bit and looked in the direction of the arena. Far off in the distance, he could just barely make it out.

_Well… I can't be there for you this time, Naruto, but I wish you luck._

"_WHY WON'T ANYONE HELP MEEEEE?!"_

Knocked from his musings, Iruka coughed and opened a window, leaping out.

"Just hang on Konohamaru! I'll be right there!"

_Note to self: No more daydreaming during class! … And pick up some aspirin on the way home, this headache is killing me!_

- - - - - - - - - - -

Skidding to a halt next to the other competitors, Naruto panted a bit before standing straight. He looked over at the others, frowning.

"Hey Naruto, you're late," Shikamaru observed. Naruto scowled.

"Not by that much! Hey, where's Sasuke?"

He could spot Neji easily enough, the Sound girl, Gaara, Temari, Shino and Kankuro, but the dark Uchiha was missing. Shikamaru shrugged and sighed.

"Troublesome… He hasn't shown up at all."

Naruto scanned the line again, fruitlessly searching for his rival. A glare from Kankuro, a glare from Gaara that he returned, and a blushed and quick aversion of her eyes from Temari were all he received.

Up in the stands, Hinata had taken a seat next to Hanabi, who was sitting with their father in one of the upper level sections.

"Hinata… How fares your teacher?"

Hinata blinked at the unusual question, but answered dutifully.

"Um, I d-don't kn-know Father. I've been training w-without her for m-most of this month," she replied honestly. Hanabi sighed next to her and shook her head.

"Sister, he already knows you've been training with Naruto," she stated, making Hinata flush bright red. She looked at her father in dread, expecting him to react to this statement by Hanabi by banning her from seeing her crush.

"I-I-!"

"According to Kurenai-san, your training with Uzumaki has been beneficial," Hiashi cut him simply. He looked her directly in the eyes, an expectant expression on his face.

"You will demonstrate that it has been so, correct?"

Hinata stared in disbelief, before nodding, smiling very slightly.

"Y-Yes, Father!"

"Good," Hiashi stated, turning his attention back to the arena. Hanabi crossed her arms over her chest with a scowl.

"Speaking of Kurenai-san, _Father…"_

"Hanabi, we have spoken on this," Hiashi said flatly, though Hinata could have sworn she saw his eyebrow twitch. "Nothing has occurred."

"But I swear I saw-!" Hanabi began, before Hiashi put a hand over her mouth. Hinata blinked and looked at her father innocently.

"Does this have something to do with Kurenai-sensei being over the whole night a week ago?"

Hiashi blanched, and Inner Hinata cackled evilly.

"N-Nothing of the sort! Nothing happened, _nothing,"_ he repeated, a faint flush on his cheeks. Hanabi scowled as Hiashi removed his hand, but when she was sure he wasn't looking she winked and grinned at Hinata. The older girl sighed and turned her attention to the arena as well.

_Nobody tells me anything,_ she mentally pouted.

Elsewhere in the stadium seats, Chouji was eagerly munching some chips next to Kiba. The Inuzuka was munching on some beef jerky, occasionally passing some to his partner Akamaru, sitting on his head.

"I'm telling you, while I'd love to see that bastard Neji go down, there's no way Naruto can beat him," Kiba stated between mouthfuls. Chouji frowned as he swallowed.

"I don't know… Naruto's pretty strong. Look at him! You can tell…"

"Feh!" Kiba scoffed. "Once a loser, always a loser. He only beat Hinata-chan because she's got a huge crush on the idiot."

"She does? How do you know?" Chouji asked. Kiba snorted.

"_Everyone_ knows about it! Everyone _also_ knows Naruto's an idiot and would never notice her in a million years!" Kiba shook his head and bit off more jerky.

"Seriously, guy's a moron. He's chasing after Haruno 'Flat as her Billboard Brow' Sakura, when he's got Hinata-chan after him! You saw her without her coat!"

"I was in the infirmary," Chouji pointed out with a scowl. "And I think Naruto can win!"

"Ha! Yeah right!" Kiba barked in laughter. "Neji's going to kill him in a sec-AUGH!"

Chouji blinked in shock. Kiba gawked as he struggled, and the nearby spectators all stared. Haruno Sakura held Kiba up by his throat with one fist, glaring intensely right in his face. When she spoke, she sounded surprisingly calm.

"I'm sorry, I must have misheard you. Did you just say Naruto would _lose_ to Neji?" She asked. Kiba squeaked as Akamaru whimpered, hiding in his master's hood at the pink-haired girl's scary face.

"Ack! Augh!"

"And did you or did you _not_ call me Haruno 'Flat as her Billboard Brow' Sakura?" Sakura went on, sounding almost business-like. Despite being choked, Kiba managed to shake his head minutely even as he tried to pull Sakura's arm off. His eyes widened as he found he couldn't budge her an inch.

"Gahhhh!"

"Because if you _did_ say those things," Sakura continued, clenching her free fist. "I would have to punch your head off and use it for a _footstool_ while I watch Naruto kick that stuck up bastard's ass. So, again, did you say those things?"

"Bill-Sakura! What the hell are you doing?" Ino finally managed to get out. She'd frozen in disbelief and horror when Sakura had leaped over the heads of several surprised civilians to grab Kiba by the throat and hoist him up like that.

"You're going to hurt him! Let him go!" She stated. Sakura snorted and dropped Kiba into his seat, watching him gasp for breath and gape at her in fear. She smiled as sweetly as poisoned honey at him and he whimpered.

"Naruto's going to _win._ I'd _better_ not hear anything to the contrary from you when the match starts," she ordered. Kiba shook his head rapidly, the feeling of power coming from this girl, her scent-Everything screamed _bigger dog than you!_

"Good! Hey Chouji, nice to see you again. How are you?" Sakura asked, menacing air gone instantly. Chouji realized he'd dropped his bag of chips, and in a slight panic stooped down to grab it back up.

"Uh, f-fine," he mumbled. Sakura nodded and walked over to the empty seat next to him, plopping herself down and looking eagerly towards the arena. Ino slowly sat down next to her in the aisle seat, staring in disbelief.

"Sakura…? What the hell was that?" Ino mumbled, mindful of the stares still pointed their way. The blonde squinted a bit.

"Did you dye your hair? It looks a little darker than usual…"

"Ino, I already told you. I became strong," Sakura said easily. "Besides, that bastard had it coming. Naruto's not a loser and he's going to win!"

The conviction in her voice, the confidence… Ino blinked, and cleared her throat.

"Ah… Sasuke-kun's not here yet," she ventured. Sakura sighed in irritation.

"That idiot Kakashi," she growled. "He's _always_ late."

"Sasuke-kun might be disqualified," Ino tried again. "If he's late for his match."

"He'll be here," Sakura said dismissively. Ino just stared at her. The Sakura she knew would be fretting about Sasuke being late.

The Sakura _she_ knew wouldn't be so… _Enamored_ with Naruto. Sure, Ino conceded she liked Naruto too, but she wasn't about to go zapping anyone who said bad things about him with lightening!

Most frighteningly of all, the Sakura Ino knew wasn't this confident… This callous about harming others… This _dark._

Something about her magical signature bugged the hell out of Ino, and she had no idea why. Carefully she stretched out her senses, trying to pick up Vivi in order to get a fix on his location.

_Huh? Where is he? He couldn't be hiding himself so well, could he?_

- - - - - - - - - -

"Hokage-sama, you have a message."

Up in his personal viewing box, Sarutobi nodded with a smile to the chuunin and took the message. He scanned it through, before folding it and stuffing it into his robes.

"Something wrong, Hokage-sama?" Asked the Kazekage. Sarutobi turned his head to the other Kage and smiled politely.

"Oh, nothing. Just a message from my old apprentice."

"Jiraiya? He is here then?" The Kazekage asked, sounding intrigued. The Hokage nodded.

"Yes, he's here. He's been running a few errands for me," Sarutobi replied. The Kazekage looked interested.

"Have you chosen him as your successor, Hokage? He is a very strong ninja, a legend it is said."

Sarutobi laughed at that, shaking his head.

"No, no, of course not Kazekage-sama. He has no interest in such things."

_Besides, he's already richer than a small nation,_ Sarutobi thought privately to himself. Kazekage nodded.

"Shame. There are so few candidates to take over for you. Is this why you have not retired?" The Kazekage continued. Sarutobi chuckled.

"Actually, I intend to continue for another five years. My successor will prove him or herself before then. After all, youth is not everything in this world, correct Kazekage?"

"It seems I must disagree with you, Hokage," the Kazekage replied quietly. "No doubt you are among the most experienced of ninja on this world, but if the body cannot respond as it once did…?" He trailed off, and Sarutobi knew for certain that wearing his armor under his robes had been the correct choice. He smiled back.

"Oh, you might be surprised, Kazekage, you might be surprised," the Hokage replied with a grin, before turning back to the arena below.

_The bow tightens, the trap creaks… Nothing more to do until it's sprung…_

- - - - - - - - -

"But-But _why_ do _I_ have to come along," Vivi complained on top of Jiraiya's back. The Toad Hermit sighed.

"Because we've got a lot to take care of before the attack begins."

"Attack?"

"Yes, attack! Invasion! Sound and Sand will be invading today, and we have to make sure every approach is covered! Your Vanish spell will keep us from being noticed while we take care of business!"

"Aw… I wanted to see the matches," Vivi sighed. Jiraiya nodded solemnly, leaping over another gap between buildings.

"Me too, Vivi… Me too… Hang on, here's a big jump!"

"Wooooaaaahhh!"

- - - - - - - - -

"Eh? What's with them?" Naruto asked, indicating Hayate conferring with another jounin, holding a senbon between his teeth. Hayate nodded and coughed, and the new jounin nodded back before vanishing in a poof of smoke. Hayate walked out into the center of the arena. Shikamaru shrugged.

"Got me…"

"Attention, everyone. The first match of the Chuunin Exam Finals is about to begin," Hayate spoke, using a jutsu to making himself heard throughout the arena. He waited for the cheering to subside before turning back to the genin.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Hyuuga Neji, you're up first," he ordered. Naruto nodded, face serious.

"See you later, Shikamaru," Naruto spoke. Shikamaru nodded back and headed for the waiting box above the arena, following the other competitors.

"Good luck Naruto."

Naruto smiled a bit at that, before turning to face Neji. The Hyuuga smirked arrogantly at him, across the ground separating them, and cocked his head.

"You look like you have something to say," Neji spoke, as Hayate looked between the two. Naruto narrowed his eyes, and held out the Keyblade, leveling it at Neji.

"I said it before… I'm going to _win,"_ he replied in a growl, as a fast wind kicked up around them, blowing dust into the air. Neji's Byakugan activated as he continued to smirk, before Hayate looked between them one last time and held up his arms.

"_Begin!"_

- - - - - - - - - -

_Updated 12/13/07:__ Did some additional editing and added three new scenes: Naruto's fight with Gaara, Naruto, Hinata and Ino talking about it afterwards, and a brief scene with Sarutobi's mysterious visitor and another stranger to Konoha (written with Captain Sarcasm, thank you!). All scenes are marked at the end with a . As well as removing all mention of "dattebayo". As it's intended to be added onto the end of a sentence to emphasize it and make it sound tougher, for story purposes it has been replaced with a simple emphasis on certain words and, where appropriate, swearing._

_Ha, cliffhanger! The match begins next time! A big thanks to elric, Lord Raine, SilverDragon, and all the others at TFF for their help and input!_

_Sorry for the long time in between updates. School is rather taxing at the moment. Working hard on a number of boring and incredibly lame assignments. Hopefully all my hard work will pay off. In the meantime, this gives me the strength needed to keep going and not be depressed about my rather pathetic social life. So please, press the review button. Leave some comments. Helping an attention starved author._

_Also, I'm always on the look out for omakes, but not all of them have to be funny. In the coming chapters I may ask some writers to begin writing side stories for a few characters in Key Through the Heart. If you're interested, say so and I'll give you more info. _

_And now, a few more omakes to entertain you!_

By RyougaZell

Deidara and Sasori were currently tracking a Jinchuuriki in the outskirts of Duckburg. Night was falling when they noticed a bar called 'House of Villans'

'Sasori-danna, you think we can get information from there?'

'I do not know Deidara, but we would at least get a good drink'

Both Akatsuki were received at the door by Dr Bushroot, who asked them for their cloaks, but they refused.

'You cannot enter with them on', Bushroot said. Thus, Deidara started opening his cloak, and allowed the mouth on his chest to bite off Bushroots hair...err… leaves, making the mad doctor scream.

'You know? Zetsu would not like to see you do that...', Sasori exclaimed.

They reached the counter and ordered some drinks. After finding no clue about any bijuu or jinchuuriki they started chatting about their -art-.

'Art is a bang! Explosions!' Exclaimed Deidara.

'No, Art is eternal. Puppets!' Replied Sasori

As both continued to argue, a blond male with a black cloak approached.

'My friends, you are both wrong. Art is phenomenal music!' - The man, Demyx, exclaimed.

'Shut up girly boy!' - Deidara exclaimed.

'Look who is talking...' Said Sasori.

'Hey! I happen to like how I am!' Said Demyx, causing both Akatsuki to step away.

'Hey, no fighting on my turn, or no more drinks!' Yelled the Liquidator. He suddenly poured a glass with liquid that came from HIS body. The two Akatsuki and Organization XIII member's eyes widened at this, proceeded to puke and then hell broke loose.

Pein, who was walking alongside Jiraiya and Konan suddenly stopped at the sight of a clay dragon, hundreds of puppets and water guitarists destroying the place.

'Forget it Jiraiya-sensei... I do not think I can show you this new bar...'

By Shadow Crystal Mage

"Tenten!"

Slowly, the weapon mistress looked around. There was no one there.

"Down here."

She looked down.

Mickey opened his arms. "Tenten, I am your father!"

Tears welled up in Tenten's eyes. "Oh, daddy!" she cried as she was reunited with her father. Her buns fell away, revealing a pair of black ears as the two prosthetics she wore above her jaw hinge got knocked off...

Later...

"MICKEY MOUSE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!" Queen Minnie

thundered. Everyone quietly got behind the most powerful reflect spell and thickest shield Donald and Goofy had.

"Um, well, you see, a couple of years ago, Minato, Jiraiya and I went to this bar, see, and we met these kunoichi-"

That was all it took.

"JIRAIYA!"

By Elric: Catfight

"Hands off, bitch! I was here first!" Shouted the Kyuubi to the Girl in Naruto's mindscape. Said blond was blinking in disbelief at the scene he'd come into. 

"Naruto never asked to be stuck with you, so back off you fleabitten old hag! I'm the one with the biggest claim to his Heart!" The Girl retorted. The Kyuubi growled. 

"Why you . . .!" 

The Kyuubi slapped the Girl, to which the Girl responded by slapping the fox girl back. 

"Um . . . Don't I get any say in-?" Naruto tried. 

"Stay out of this! I have to deal with this bitch/hag!" The two girls screamed, before their squabble degenerated into an all-out catfight. Naruto sighed. 

"Man, Sasuke never has to deal with this from his fangirls..."


	28. Dance to the Death

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Beautiful."

Sawada turned her head slightly, looking over to Kabuto standing on a tree branch near her own. The masked ninja was looking out over Konoha, the sun already climbing towards it's zenith above the wide, colorful village. At his partner's look he turned, and Sawada was sure he was smiling underneath his mask.

"What?"

"It's strange to hear you appreciate something as simple as this view," Sawada replied honestly. Kabuto shrugged and turned back.

"Beauty is fleeting, but best appreciated that way. So it is with Konoha," he remarked philosophically. Sawada slowly turned her gaze back to the village, gazing at its wide streets, scattered forests and ponds, and the Hokage monument, silent stone defenders gazing out over the community they had built. That they had died to protect.

That would fall today.

Sawada fought back tears, and nodded.

"Beautiful," she murmured, feeling heartbroken at the fact she was agreeing with this slime. This traitor.

Feeling even more heartbroken at the fact he was right. It was beautiful. So tragically, horrifically beautiful.

A distant, yet still loud roar of an audience caught her attention, and she looked out to the coliseum a mere mile away. Kabuto nodded from his branch.

"Sounds like the first match has begun," he stated, and she could here the smirk in his voice. "Let's hope Naruto-kun gives a good show."

Sawada nodded, following Kabuto as he leaped off the tree branch into the forest below.

_One more world… What's one more world?_

She'd thought the same thing several times in the past, but only now did she realize, sickeningly, that it no longer elicited feeling from her.

_Sakura… Forgive me…_

At least she meant that.

- - - - - - - - -

Naruto spun up his Keyblade, the weapon begin to glow with chakra. Neji smirked as his Byakugan activated. Naruto felt the Keyblade's prompt, and he let the weapon fly.

"_STRIKE RAID!"_

Neji ducked under the spinning projectile. It vanished and reappeared in Naruto's hand as he leaped into the air, throwing the Keyblade again at an even higher speed. Neji leaped to the side, forced into a cartwheel as the Keyblade once again missed him by scant centimeters. Recalling the Keyblade Naruto threw it a third time, the brightly glowing projectile meeting Neji just as he landed back on his feet. The Hyuuga's hand burned with blue chakra as he brought it up to meet the deadly weapon.

_FWASH!_ A powerful burst of chakra reacted with the Keyblade's aura, snuffing Naruto's chakra like a candle by the wind, and the weapon sailed off course, slamming into the dirt.

Naruto landed from his jump, again summoning his weapon to his hand. He glowered at the smirking Neji.

_Damnit!_ _All right, plan B…_

Naruto ran forward, Keyblade out and pointed for Neji's head as he charged. Up in the stands Kiba groaned.

"No, no, not a frontal attack!"

Sakura smirked nearby as Ino looked on in concern.

_What is he…?_

A few meters off the tip of the Keyblade began to glow.

"_FIRE!_" Naruto shouted, the Keyblade blasting out a shot of magically-enhanced flame. Neji nimbly dodged the blast, and the one that followed as Naruto closed in, red hot flames passing centimeters past his head.

Spinning the Keyblade by its chain like a flail, Naruto swung it for Neji's head, the Hyuuga prodigy ducking and swinging a chakra-charged palm for Naruto's stomach. Anticipating this, Naruto jumped and curled into a forward flip, swinging the Keyblade for Neji's stomach like a lumberjack swinging his ax. Missing by a hair, Neji smoothly moved up and turned, a chakra-charged pair of fingers pointing for Naruto's neck as he landed in a crouch.

Naruto flipped the Keyblade over his shoulder and slapped Neji's fingers away, smoothly stepping back up and gripping the Keyblade with both hands as he swung back for the Hyuuga. Neji stepped back, eyes narrowed, as he continued to just barely dodge Naruto's swings and thrusts.

_He's better than I thought he would be,_ Neji conceded, channeling chakra into his hands to better block the blond's strikes.

_However…_

Neji slapped the Keyblade away as he smoothly stepped forward, fingers zeroing in on Naruto's shoulder. Naruto leaped back, and hopped backwards once more to get some distance between them. Both ninja paused, glaring at each other across the dirt-covered ground.

The blond then nodded and smirked.

"I've got you figured out!"

Neji raised an eyebrow and smirked back.

"Really?"

"Yeah. You're good against single opponents at close range, and even at a distance. But, how about _several_ enemies at once? _Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_

Half a dozen additional Narutos appeared on the field, and as one they raised their Keyblades like batons and pointed them at Neji.

"_FIRE!"_

They all shouted, and as commanded their weapons spat out bursts of flame right at the Hyuuga genius. Eyes wide, he instinctively spun himself around, charged chakra emitting from every pore.

"_KAITEN!"_ Neji roared, the protective dome of chakra forming just in time. The fire blasts splashed harmlessly against the shield, as Neji slowly came to a stop. He smirked as Naruto glowered, and formed the ram seal again.

"_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_

Another dozen clones formed and as one they charged Neji, a few in front firing off more fire spells that Neji was forced to dodge.

"How…?" Hiashi gaped in shock. Uzumaki's performance against his nephew was truly mind boggling, but the added surprise of Neji displaying the _Kaiten,_ supposedly a Main House-only technique, was nothing short of heart stopping. Hanabi stared at her father's shocked expression on her right side, before turning to look at her older sister. Hinata's eyes were shining, her mouth open in a broad smile. Hanabi couldn't help her own smile at how happy Hinata looked, and turned back to the match.

"Man, he's just overwhelming Neji, isn't he?" Sakura grinned.

"YEAH NARUTO! WOOOOO! KEEP IT UP!" She bellowed, standing up and cheering.

Ino leaned forward with a frown as Naruto's clones fanned out and began to either continue to fire flames at the Hyuuga Prodigy or closed in for close-range attacks. Despite the coordination Naruto was showing, his clones attacking in pairs and timed just after salvoes from the magic-wielding copies, Neji continued to evade or simply deflect the assault using either his incredible agility or his _Kaiten._

"Well yeah, but Neji still hasn't taken a single hit…" Ino muttered, frown growing. When his clones were destroyed Naruto simply made more, every clone making the same hand seal in order to keep Neji guessing about which was the real one. After a few minutes of this continued bombardment, Neji seemed to falter, barely avoiding a blast of fire.

"He's getting tired!" Sakura cheered. "GO NARUTO! C'MON! TAKE HIM DOWN!"

Ino narrowed her eyes. She didn't know what it was, but something told her Neji was far from tired.

Further up in the stands, Tenten couldn't help a small, sad smile.

_Naruto…_ _You are my friend… But even you can't beat Neji. I'm sorry…_

- - - - - - - -

In a small part of the Hyuuga Prodigy's mind, Neji was tempted to thank Tenten for her help after the match. Her constant training with him had massive increased his chakra control and stamina, and his reflexes had increased in speed by a fair amount as well. It was fated that he win this battle, but her work had doubtlessly contributed to it. Every fire blast, every clone-He dodged them all while hardly moving in the center of the field of clones.

Still, it was time to end this charade. The deadlast had demonstrated some considerable talent for his station, but in the end he would fail.

Neji stumbled, just a bit, and with the _Byakugan_ he saw one of the Narutos grin in triumph outside the main mob.

_So, he's the real one…_

Sprinting forward, he bypassed all the other clones and made a beeline for the one who had given himself away. He was no longer grinning now, instead moving forward to meet Neji's charged with a snarl.

Handily Neji avoided the thrust and slammed a chakra-charged palm into Naruto's throat, making him choke and fall back. Six more _Jyuken _strikes and Naruto fell to one knee, panting hard as the clones within Neji's field of vision poofed out of existence.

"You stood back the most from all the other clones, and what's more you fell for my feint," Neji stated arrogantly. "This match is over."

To his puzzlement, rather than growling angrily at him in defiance, Naruto merely chuckled and looked up with a grin Neji was getting sick of. It was cocky, confident, and held a determination he felt the need to crush and break into little pieces.

"Says who?" Naruto asked, before poofing into smoke. Neji had no warning as three more Narutos converged on him from all sides.

_How-?!_

Neji instinctively switched to _Kaiten_ right at the last second, catching the three Narutos' Keyblades and blasting them all away. Two poofed into smoke, while the third landed before him with a groan, sitting up and glaring. Neji smirked and settled back into a familiar stance.

"It's futile," he stated, "you're in range of my divination."

_Just like with Kiba…_ Thought Ino, biting her lower lip. Sakura, next to her, was also wide-eyed and silent, but still wore a strange kind of smile.

_This is it then,_ Hiashi nodded. _The boy did well, but in the end…_

_N-No! C'mon Naruto-kun, get up!_ Hinata thought frantically.

"_Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!"_ Neji roared, charging at incredible speed. Naruto sprang back to his feet, perceiving the Hyuuga coming at him almost in slow motion.

Naruto summoned up his magic and cast the first spell he could think of.

"_HASTE!"_

"Too late!" Neji shouted while twisting his waist to bring his elbow back as his other arm lanced forward for Naruto's chest. He powered through some dust kicked up by a brief but powerful breeze, which slightly obscured the two ninjas from the audience. The most that could be seen were blurred shadows and flashes of burning chakra.

"Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms!"

Bursts of blue chakra boomed across the arena as Neji's strikes continued to hit their target. Hinata could only gasp in horror, while Tenten nearby wondered at how Naruto was able to just stand there and take the assault.

"Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms!"

Sakura cried out in horror while Ino winced. _Naruto!_

"_Sixty-four palms!"_

The dust kicked up by the gust of wind had been further raised by the air distortions from the chakra blasts. All eyes in the stadium locked onto the two fighters as the dust began to settle around them. Gasps and shouts filled the air.

Neji glared in barely repressed rage, back in his usual stance, his fingers smoking lightly. Still standing, and what was more looking seemingly untouched in front of him, Naruto lowered his Keyblade. His brow was knit and his jaw set in determination.

Naruto seemed to blur, and Neji skidded back along the ground, arms raised protectively in front of his face, as though he'd blocked a strong blow. Neji lowered his arms just as Naruto blurred and vanished entirely.

"What the-?!" Tenten gasped, as many others in the crowd did, in the split second it took Naruto to reappear over Neji's head.

"YAH!"

He fell, swinging the Keyblade down for the Hyuuga prodigy's head. Neji barely avoided the blow, his eyes widening as Naruto again vanished and reappeared behind him, swinging his blade for his waist. Moving forward, Neji grit his teeth as the Keyblade grazed his back. The blond vanished again, only in Neji's enhanced vision he finally spotted what he had been missing.

The chakra signature of his opponent remained constant, but was moving so quickly it blurred in his senses.

_He's not teleporting… He's… Accelerating!_

"HA!" Naruto yelled, appearing in front of Neji and thrusting the Keyblade forward. It grazed Neji's cheek, cutting and drawing blood, but Neji used the proximity to push forward and land a _Jyuken_ strike on Naruto's shoulder. It was a hollow victory as Naruto simply vanished again, accelerating and reappearing a few meters back before vanishing once more.

"How can he do that?" Sakura gasped in wonder, strange smile still on her face. Ino coughed a bit, choosing her words carefully.

"Well, it's like this. The jutsu Naruto's using lets him accelerate himself to extremely high speeds, but only while he's channeling chakra. So, he has to drop out of the jutsu to attack or change direction."

"But still, he's moving so fast!" Sakura gushed. "It's incredible!"

_It is_, Ino thought to herself with a smile. _To think that he still hasn't mastered the spell yet. With the way Viv-senseii explained it the spell only has two components, the construct for the spell that shapes it and the magical power needed to make it work. It's supposed to be so simple, the first making the engine for the spell, and then creating the fuel for it. Even for something that simple he still screws it up. That idiot still can't pull out his magic well enough to get it to work right.  
_  
A flurry of Fire spells appeared right above Neji and he was forced into Kaiten to deflect them. The moment he came out Naruto was right there, slashing furiously with the Keyblade before leaping back into Haste once more when Neji went on the offensive.

_'But of course, Naruto being Naruto, he figured out something else_. _Instead of just relying on a small trickle of magic, he pushed it in with chakra. And with them combined..._

Neji had pulled back from his forward charge just in time to barely deflect another strike from Naruto and the Keyblade, but he was unable to block the kick that followed into his thigh, knocking him off balance.

_He's a speed demon!_ Ino stood up and cheered with Sakura for Naruto to finish him off.

Unfortunately Neji recovered by spinning around, seemingly going into a partial Kaiten to slap a palm against Naruto's upper arm. The blond fell back but against escaped Neji's strike with Haste.Neji recovered by spinning around, seemingly going into a partial _Kaiten_ to slap a palm against Naruto's upper arm. The blond fell back but against escaped Neji's strike with Haste.

Neji went for broke, engaging a full _Kaiten_, but even as he did Naruto appeared and reappeared several times around the dome, slashing against it on all sides seemingly at once. Gritting his teeth, he had an idea. If he could expel chakra from his body in _one_ direction, he might be able to keep up.

_Take THIS!_

He abruptly ended the_Kaiten,_ but the burning blue chakra receded into and around him. So quickly no one in the audience could see Neji shot out a hand for Naruto, which the blond was barely able to block with the Keyblade. At the shock in Naruto's eyes, Neji glared.

"It's futile," he stated. Naruto growled and channeled chakra into the Haste spell again, leaping back at enhanced speed. According to Vivi, Haste worked by accelerating the passage of time around the caster. While it appeared to increase the speed at which Naruto moved, all it did was increase the rate of time's flow for him. Relative to him, everything else stood still.

Unfortunately, _because_ he used chakra mixed with magic to power the spell, it was very unstable and required most of Naruto's focus to manage.

Definitely a bad thing, he decided, when Neji seemed to be moving _almost_ as fast as he was, chakra pouring out from his body like the tail of a comet, racing him across the stadium floor.

"What the hell is that?" He yelled as he dropped out of Haste to quickly block two fast _Jyuken_ strikes. Naruto scowled and leaped up into the air while using Haste again, back flipping and slamming his feet against the hard wall of the stadium.

Neji stood right where he was, chakra burning in his aura, as though waiting. Naruto growled and switched into Haste again, hoping he could hold the spell long enough to strike. The Hyuuga Prodigy, seemingly anticipating this, engaged his protective jutsu once more.

"_KAITEN!"_ He shouted, the dome of energy forming at massively increased speed.

_Shit! Shit! I'm going to crash against it!_ Naruto thought, his attention slipping causing him to fall out of Haste but continue to dive for his adversary.

A command prompt came from the Keyblade, only the feeling it sent him was gentler than other cues the weapon had given him.

_**Trust me**_ said a voice that wasn't quite a voice. Naruto raised the Keyblade, eyes blazing with determination.

"_ZANTETSUKEN!"_

A blinding flash erupted as Keyblade met _Kaiten_. Naruto powered through the burst of energy that resulted, slamming the weapon into Neji's chest and sending him flying back.

"_HURK!"_ Naruto cried out as Neji's palm found its way to his throat, the burst of chakra making his neck's insides feel like they were being microwaved He fell back, pushed by the dying waves of Neji's_Kaiten,_ and it was only here he saw his opponent's triumphant expression that he knew he'd been had.

Neji had cut the _Kaiten_ moments after he'd struck it, and allowed Naruto his shot just to lure him in. It was a good plan. Naruto, frankly, was kind of impressed.

"_Eight Trigrams: Sixty-Four Palms!"_

Naruto cried out as the first strikes slammed into his _tenketsu_ points, the same feeling of fire burning his insides as he'd felt in his match with Hinata.

"_Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms!"_

Like a puppet with its strings tangled Naruto jerked at every hit, slowly falling back.

"_Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms! Sixty four palms!"_ Neji finished, and with this final barrage Naruto fell, back slamming into the dusty soil of the arena floor. He coughed up blood, which leaked from his

"It's over," Neji spoke, standing salient while ignoring the pain inflicted on him by Naruto. The Hyuuga Prodigy looked down upon his vanquished foe, expression almost pitying.

"From the moment you were chosen as my opponent, you were fated to fall."

Naruto coughed up more blood, and with a few grunts and groans he struggled up to his feet. Neji's eyebrows rose in slight surprise, but his confidence reasserted itself. What could he do without chakra?

"Stop this madness. You'll only get more of the same. I have nothing against you personally," Neji stated.

"Ha! That's comforting!" Naruto spat. "But don't waste your breath… I'm not giving up!"

Neji narrowed his eyes, his irritation at the blond growing.

"You are beaten. Give up."

"Screw you!" Naruto retorted. Neji's eyebrow twitched.

"Fool! You can't use chakra anymore! You can barely stand! Stop stupidly trying to resist your fate! It is sealed!" Neji shot back. Naruto leaned forward on the Keyblade, using it as a cane, as he glared defiantly into the Hyuuga's grey eyes.

"What's with you…? And this fate crap again?" Naruto demanded.

Neji bristled.

"You are a dead last, I am a genius. These titles are given to determine our place in life. It is destiny that dead lasts cannot overcome geniuses, seen again and again. There is no escape!" The Hyuuga snorted.

"You yourself claim to wish to become Hokage, scream it for all to hear! But no dead last became Hokage, no fool. Those who became them were destined to from the beginning!"

Neji took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"The only true destiny we all share equally… Is _death,"_ he concluded.

Naruto stared in disbelief.

"How the hell can you believe crap like that? Do you even know what you're saying?"

Neji raised his hands to his forehead protector, and Naruto stared in confusion. His expression became more confused when Neji undid the headband holding the protective plate over his brow and lowered it. Naruto blinked at the strange green seal with a _manji_ symbol on Neji's now bare forehead.

"I know… All too well," Neji returned coldly. "This is the mark of the Hyuuga clan's cursed seal. I have worn it since the age of four. It is given to all members of the Hyuuga Branch house to-"

"Huh? What's the deal with that?" Naruto asked. Neji sneered at the interruption.

"Since you _asked…_ The Branch house members are expected to serve the Main house from birth. If we are captured or killed, a Main house member activates the seal to destroy our brains and any trace of the Byakugan, to keep it out of enemy hands. But it is also used to make us slaves to the will of the Main house! I was placed in it because my father, the twin brother of Hiashi-sama, was born second. To prevent a power struggle, he was placed in the Branch house. Due entirely to his destiny of being born _second,"_ Neji stated in a flat, angry tone that nevertheless reached the ears of most of the spectators.

"Some years ago, a ninja from Kumogakureone of Konoha's enemies during the last Great War, came on a good will visit to Konoha. However, his true intentions were to kidnap Hinata-sama, in order for his village to get their hands on the Byakugan. Hiashi-sama stopped him and saved Hinata-sama… But killed the ninja."

Neji sighed. "Kumogakure threatened war, but were willing to maintain the peace on the _condition_ that Hyuuga Hiashi be killed and given to them. Konoha's _greatest_ bloodline, at their command!"

Neji's face became dark, his killing intent released.

"But to _save himself,_ he had _my father_ killed and sent in _his place._ Just as he was fated to be! From the _moment_ he was born, he was fated to die at a whim of my uncle's! Just as I will die for Hinata-sama's cowardice, to cover up her own weakness! There is no escaping fate, no escaping destiny, not for anyone! And that is why-"

"Honestly, would you just _SHUT UP!_"

If anything could have silenced the prodigy that was it. The audience would have cheered at the interruption if they weren't more interested at what the blond had to say. Neji was a little shocked. This was the second time this dead last had interrupted him, and no one interrupted him! Naruto pushed himself back up, standing as best he could, Keyblade raised.

"The old geezer up there is more interesting to listen to then you are! Hell, even Iruka-sensei!" The Leaf ninja winced at that in acknowledgment, and the Third Hokage sighed at the nickname.

"I've got something to say about your stupid philosophy." Naruto snapped. "Fate isn't something that you can predict. It was a twist of fate that your dad died. You say that people can't change, but that's completely out of whack! Look at your own teammate! He can't even use ninjutsu or genjutsu, and he practiced at what he was good at. In my opinion, he's a better man than you are, Neji!"

Naruto's voice rose in strength.

"I've been training with Hinata-chan this whole month, and I've watched her progress! She's not weak, she's no coward...she's strong." Naruto looked up to the sky for a moment, and spotted with his eye a bird flying overhead. He looked back at Neji, his eyes burning.

"Fate is not kind, I know that as much as anyone. The only thing anyone can do is make the best of it, or just collapse." He rose his arm and pointed the Keyblade straight at the Hyuuga prodigy.

"So, let's go. Prove to me that you can see destiny...or are you afraid that it's just a load of crap?" Neji's lip curled at the taunt. "Or are you just going to run away?

"I will enjoy crushing you." Neji had planned to just defeat him, but the blond's defiance brought his blood to a boil. He would do more than that.

He would break him completely, physically and mentally, so there would be nothing left.

"Your fate has been decided." Neji declared again. Naruto smirked.

"We'll see about that!"

Neji moved forward, again his aura flaring with blue chakra like a comet. At the Keyblade's urging Naruto swung his weapon, ignoring the agony that he incurred, and managed to block Neji's first blow. His second slammed into Naruto's shoulder, sending him stumbling back but still on his feet. Neji struck again, injecting a burning burst of chakra into Naruto's stomach. Naruto swung again, Neji dodging nimbly out of the way. Once more, the two glared at eachother.

"Fall, damn you," Neji growled. Naruto spat out more blood, but still he stood, Keyblade in hand. With a hoarse shout he charged, swinging as hard and as quickly as he could for Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy dodged or batted away every weak attack disdainfully.

The audience had fallen silent. Hanabi looked between her father and older sister. Hiashi was grim, looking unwaveringly at his nephew, while Hinata's eyes were locked on Naruto's, wide with concern, her hands wringing in fear and concern. Hanabi was frankly a little astonished at the intensity of Hinata's gaze.

_She hasn't looked away once, has she?_ Hanabi realized. _Like a wife watching her husband in a duel…_

Tenten had bowed her head and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch this…

In his own seat, Kiba turned from fight with a wince and a sigh. Akamaru whimpered, and his master scratched him behind the ears.

He looked down his row. Chouji was also watching, eyes screwed up in sympathy. Sakura was gripping Ino's hand almost painfully, watching the fight in silence with a blank look on her face, as Ino, distraught, tried to shake her out of it.

_I can't say it,_ Kiba decided. He couldn't gloat. Not now.

Naruto took another hit to the shoulder, panting hard, growling in the hopes of drowning out his pain with the noise as he again just barley avoided a killing blow. Neji was frustrated, just trying to catch him, but the Keyblade's prompts seem to come in even stronger. He dodged, he weaved, and he ducked, striking back, but his movements were becoming slower and slower.

Hayate shook his head._This won't last much longer…_

At last, Neji, fed up, employed his strange boosting technique once more, and slammed two fingers into Naruto's collar bone. Choking, Naruto fell back, as Neji raised up a hand in the tradition _Jyuken_ stance.

"It's over… You have nothing more. Give. _Up,_" he ordered. Naruto had fallen to one knee, panting, and as he raised his head Neji expected that defiance to have burnt out. For that stubborn fire in his eyes that could have passed for nobility, to be gone.

Neji gritted his teeth, seething, as Naruto's eyes were still alight with determination, unyielding, unbroken.

He needed that fire to die. He needed to snuff it out, _now!_

"No… I will _never_ give up!" Naruto returned, once again pushing himself back to his feet.

"Proctor, I am going in for a killing blow," Neji stated flatly to the nearby Hayate. "Stop me if you wish."

Naruto raised up the Keyblade, preparing to continue to fight despite every one of his muscles screaming in protest, as Neji charged. Naruto gritted his teeth, blinking sweat out of his eyes…

He blinked again. Everything had… Stopped? Neji was frozen in mid-step, Hayate opening his mouth to say something, the audience still as statues.

_How? I'm not using Haste,_ Naruto thought. Warm breath blew past his ear, and he groaned as he felt a pair of feminine arms wrap around his waist.

"Use my power, Naruto-kun," the Kyuubi breathed into his ear, resting her chin on his shoulder. Naruto shuddered at the comforting warmth her body was producing.

"Use it… Show this upstart what a _real_ burden is," she went on. "You are hated and despised, yet you use the same power that would destroy this village to protect it." She moved her lips even closer to Naruto's ear and chuckled throatily, making Naruto blush.

"What does a _genius_ like him know about burdens anyway?" Kyuubi went on, chuckling. Naruto thought he saw something out of the corner of his eyes, and focused in on it. The Girl was here too, standing on the field, looking at him with a sad smile. She looked so heartbroken, her eyes shining with tears, and yet still she smiled.

"She can't help you now," Kyuubi snorted. "She would sooner let you _die_ than use my power!"

The girl walked closer, still smiling sadly. Naruto locked eyes with her, and nodded. He shoved the Kyuubi off his back and turned back towards Neji. The Kyuubi snorted.

"You'll be back. You'll have no choice," she stated, and as the girl nodded, tears finally peeking out of her eyes, time began again.

Neji's chakra charged palm lashed out, and Naruto swung to deflect it. But just as his weapon touched Neji's hand, a burst of chakra left it, making Naruto yelp as the energy connected with Naruto's hands like live voltage. His grip loosened, Neji used his other hand to swat the Keyblade away, spinning up over his shoulder, before landing in the dirt behind the Hyuuga prodigy. Naruto fell back, panting, hand extended to try and recall the Keyblade.

"It's _useless!_ Die with your delusions, Uzumaki Naruto! Your fate is sealed!" Neji roared, settling back into his stance as he prepared to deliver, at last, the final blow. He deactivated his Byakugan as he moved forward. Naruto gritted his teeth against the pain and tried to focus.

_C'mon, c'mon! Come back! Come back, Keyblade!_

Unseen by either Neji or Naruto, the Keyblade, stuck in the dirt as though being inserted into a door, began to shake. Hayate's eyes, and the eyes of every person in the stadium widened as the Keyblade jerked in the ground, as though pulled by an invisible hand, then jerked again. A final tug by an unseen power, and the weapon burst out of the ground, flying for its wielder hilt-first.

The flight path of the weapon, however, brought it slamming between Neji's shoulderblades, causing the Hyuuga genius to stumble as he was stepping forward to slap his fingers into Naruto's heart. Byakugan eyes widening in shock, Neji lost his balance, his white-hot fingers grazing Naruto's chest but missing the required contact by a hair.

With speed born from pure adrenaline, Naruto stepped forward, his extended hand closing into a fist that he brought up with a grunt, slamming into Neji's chin in a vicious uppercut. With the combined force from his fall and the Keyblade, the Hyuuga Prodigy was launched up and over Naruto, who had fallen into a crouch. His feet left the ground as he flew forward, teeth gritted and eyes wide in shock and pain.

_THUD!_

The impact seemed to echo throughout the arena. Gasps were uttered. Heads were shaken in disbelief. Every person there was in a state of shock.

The Sandaime Hokage, up in his personal box, let a wide grin come over his face, while the Yondaime Kazekage's eyes widened in disbelief under his hat.

For there stood Uzumaki Naruto, panting, battered, bleeding, but standing tall over the unmoving body of Hyuuga Neji, lying in an ungraceful heap behind him.

Sarutobi began clapping, a single sound that soon grew as more and more spectators stood and began applauding wildly, until it seemed every stand in the arena was exploding with cheers, whistles, and screams.

"HELL YEAH NARUTO! YOU KICKED HIS _ASS!"_ Kiba bellowed, standing up and punching upwards. Chouji cheered through a mouthful of chips, spraying them over the people ahead of him (much to their disgust). Ino and Sakura were hugging eachother, jumping up and down screaming wildly.

"YES! GO NARUTO! GO!_YEAAAAH_!"

Hiashi couldn't help but smile, just a little, and clapped heartily for perhaps the first time in his life.

"_YES! YES! NARUTO-KUN YOU DID IT! YOU DID IT!_" Screamed Hinata, sobbing tears of joy, as she hugged Hanabi hard and jumped up and down. Hanabi waved her arms, initially in celebration as well, but now in a desperate attempt to get herself free.

"Onee… chan… Can't… Breathe!" She squeaked.

Tenten had stared, slack jawed, since Naruto uppercut Neji… But slowly a broad smile blossomed on her face, and she cheered as well.

"NARUTO! YES!"

Shikamaru shook his head and smiled, as did Shino, while Gaara stared intently at the victor, his siblings with him. Kin watched as well, smirking slightly.

Naruto looked up, as though hearing the cheers for the first time, confused. A few seconds more, and he was grinning broadly, holding up the Keyblade in triumph high over his head and laughing.

"How…?"

Naruto turned around in surprise, and saw that Neji was still conscious, lying in the dirt. His eyes stared blankly, like empty window panes whose glass has just shattered.

"How… Did you do it…?" He murmured. Naruto sighed with a wry smile.

"I decided… I wasn't going to be a loser… That I was going to prove the people who called me that wrong…" Naruto closed his eyes hard, before opening them again. Neji looked up, eyes fixed on the blond's, confused.

"But how…? How could you… Continue? Even after everything…" Neji trailed off. Naruto sighed again.

"You've gotta pick yourself back up again… Gotta keep going… No matter how hard it is, or rough… You can't give up." Naruto shook his head.

"You can figure it out on your own… You've got better eyes than me, after all," the blond finished with an honest, encouraging smile. Neji stared, and saw that same bird flying overhead, chirping happily in the warm sun.

_Better eyes…_

- - - - - - - - - -

_Edit 12/13/07: In between finals and studying, as well as some random stories to keep myself writing, I've completed my edits to "Key Through the Heart". Chapters 10, 14-20, and 25-28_ _all have extended and additional scenes, marked with (New) at the end. Every chapter has also had several more spelling mistakes and grammar errors corrected, as well as modifications to catchphrases and use of Japanese. Overall, it should flow much better than before. The next chapter should be out by the New Year. _

_Thank you for reading, and if you have any comments or questions about the new scenes, please PM me._

_- - -_

_Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Once again, a big thanks to the The Fanfiction Forums for all their help on this chapter. And a big thanks to Captain Sarcasm for acting as an editor._

_Next chapter: Shikamaru and Kin's match, Neji has a conversation with Hiashi, and Naruto learns a few things about Sakura's transformation. As well as some surprises. Until then, please read and review! _

_And now, some omakes! _

By Andrew Joshua Talon: Sakura's Good Luck Charm:

"You can figure it out on your own… You've got better eyes than me, after all," the blond finished with an honest, encouraging smile. Neji stared, and saw that same bird flying overhead, chirping happily in the warm sun.

_Better eyes…_

"NARUTOOOOOO!"

The blond in question stood up, Keyblade flashing into his hand to repel the incoming attack.

Sadly, his defenses were no match for _this_ threat.

"Sakura-MMPH?!"

_WHAM!_

Naruto felt a warm, curvey, and _strong_ female body seemingly attach itself to his in a tackle that sent him and his assailant to the ground, his back hitting the dirt painfully. This was quickly forgotten in the warm, wild assault on his mouth by Haruno Sakura's own lips and tongue. His eyes stared at Sakura's, which were lidded and dark with erotic intentions.

His brain went completely blank.

For the second time in a matter of minutes, the arena fell dead silent... Before the catcalls and cheers rang out.

"YOU GO NARUTO! WOO HOO!" Kiba cheered with a sadistic grin. Next to him, Chouji was stunned, jaw hitting the cement below. Ino fumed.

_Damnit, what the hell? Is she going to steal every guy in Konoha?!_

_Noooo! Naruto-kun's being seduced! Right in public!_ Hinata fretted. This soon led to resentment and anger.

_Damnit Naruto-kun, you could resist a little more! Oh damn damn damn, why didn't I think of that?!_

Hiashi just smirked slightly as he saw his eldest daughter slap her hands over her mouth, but continued to glare at the happenings in the arena below.

_Just like her mother..._

_Spring is in the air, true love is-WAIT A TICK, GET THE HELL OFF HIM YOU BITCH!_ Tenten thought viciously. She had two kunai in her hands before she shut her eyes and attempted to calm herself.

_Calm down, calm down, you like older guys. Older. Guys. Just because you can't remember why is no reason to murder that pink haired bitch..._

"...I really didn't see that coming. Is Ino possesing her or something? Are they fighting over Sasuke again? What?" Shikamaru asked, shaking his head in disbelief. Temari nearby felt a little jealous, though she had no idea why. Shino raised both eyebrows.

_Is this really Sakura-chan?! Has her brain been taken over by aliens?! This is not right! I really need to get her off me and do something about this... Well, not right away,_ Naruto finally got into his head.

_Yeah, a LOT later... No, no! Something's wrong with her... HA! Take THAT, teme! No! No! Something's wrong... Must... Resist!_

Neji just gaped in disbelief. Hayate smirked and coughed.

"Well, now we know why the caged bird sings, eh?" He asked Neji. The Hyuuga prodigy glowered.

"This is just fate, I guess."

"MMPH! MMPH! MWAH! Neji, if you start that shit again I'll kick your ass! Sakura, STOP! GIVE ME MY PANTS BACK!"

By Mental Productions: What if Naruto was a summoner class...

NEJI VS NARUTO

"Begin"

For some strange reason, the whole background shattered into a thousand pieces, rearranging itself seconds later to reveal Naruto and Neji standing across from each other. Neji looked around confused while cool techno music played in the background

A screen popped up with the words "ATTACK, MAGIC, SUMMON, ITEM and RUN" as options. Neji stared.

Naruto was already making his move, the small arrow on the screen moving down towards summon, which then opened up another screen containing a long list of names

Naruto proceeded to scroll past names such as "Mary Sue", "Jack Sparrow" or "Saber", finally picking the name ANIMA.

Oh, fuck yes.

Chains randomly appeared before pulling out some...thing from a black portal like object that had popped up out of the ground. These chains proceeded to pull out a weird venus flytrap (I suppose) kind of monster, bound in chains.

Zetsu randomly appeared and stared

"Mommy?" he called uncertain

Neji said a bad word as he took in the sheer size of it

Naruto grinned again, before pointing at Neji and commanding in a loud voice that rang across the stadium

"ANIMA! OBLIVION!"

_Just two this time due to their sizes. More to come next chapter!_


	29. Fake

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"  
_  
**"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - -

"You know, if you keep sighing like that I'm going to put a windmill in front of you," Ichiraku chuckled. Ayame turned her head to look at her father, an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Oh! Sorry Dad... My mind just wandered."

Ichiraku nodded and gave her a comforting squeeze of her hand.

"He'll be all right... There's no need to worry."

"But I do anyway," Ayame replied. Ichiraku shrugged.

"Yes..."

Both ramen cooks heard a curious sound coming from the street. It was rhythmic, never changing, always the same: Two short mechanical bangs, and two equally short chugging sounds. Ichiraku's eyes widened.

"He wouldn't..."

"Dad? What is it?" Ayame asked, concerned. Teuchi smiled in a slightly strained way, heading out the door of the stand.

"Nothing dear! Just watch the stand; I'll be right back..."

Teuchi headed out into the street, just in time to catch sight of the source of the unusual sound. He sighed heavily.

"I cannot believe this... He came right into town in that thing," he muttered angrily. A few stray villagers looked in bewilderment around him, as the squat, white machine on wheels approached. It was shaped like a beetle, with red and blue stripes from front to back, and the number 53 in Western lettering on the doors and nose. A grinning man was at the wheel inside of it, and as the car came to a stop in front of Ichiraku he lifted his hat up.

"Mornin', Teuchi! Been a while, wot?" Asked the soot-covered man. He wore a black wool coat, over which was a plaid scarf, and his cap was a bottle green. Ichiraku groaned and slapped his palm to his face.

"Treb! What the hell are you doing here?"

"Well I should think that's obvious. I'm here to pick up your daughter for safe keepin'," Treb replied cheerfully.

"I know that, but why in that-that-!"

"Oh, this? This 'ere is Herbie!" Treb answered, patting the car affectionately on the dash. The car beeped, as though in greeting. Teuchi gawked.  
_  
"Herbie?!"  
_  
"Yeah! Me cousin Caractacus loaned her to me! She's a beaut, ain't she?" Treb enthused. "She can do _anything!"_

"Except be subtle," Teuchi muttered. The car's engine growled a bit at that, and Ichiraku took a wary step back. Treb patted the car's dash again.

"There there, Herbie. He don't mean what he says. 'E's just a bit shy, roight?"

"Er, yeah," Teuchi sighed. "Look, is this really necessary?"

"Hokage's orders and all that, Teuchi," Bert stated. He shook his head, offering an encouraging smile. "I shouldn't worry. Just a precaution is all."

"A precaution huh?" Teuchi asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Bert shrugged.

"Honestly mate, I don't know anything more than you at this point."

"Look," Teuchi said flatly, "unless you can give me some more information, then we're not moving!"

Treb shrugged, and hopped out of the car.

"Suits me! I'm peckish at the moment. Mind if I have a boite?"

Teuchi sighed, and nodded.

"Sure Treb... But no discounts!"

"Oh come on Teuchi! I'll pay you back!"

"Since when?"

Treb opened his mouth. Nothing came out. He closed it again to think it over.

Teuchi smirked.

"I've already got more than enough tabs, thanks."

"Bollocks," Treb muttered, as he was led to the ramen stand. A few children in the street approached Herbie, but ran off with yelps as it beeped.

The car revved it's engine in confusion. Children usually loved him! Why not here?

It was a mystery the car was tempted to investigate, but he did have a mission to perform. So instead he decided to wait for Treb to finish, beeping every so often at birds that would land on his hood.

- - - - - - - - - -

_Ow, ow... Ow..._

Climbing the stairs up to the competitor's box was only... Two flights of stairs? It had to be. Naruto could count. Sure felt like more, considering the way he felt. Aches and pains anywhere and everywhere that could be found. He yanked himself up the steps with one hand, using the other to push himself forward with the Keyblade.

"Owwww!" He mumbled, hissing as he pulled his hand away from the railing. He glared at the small, annoying cut on his finger, then glared at the sharp metal bracing.

"That hurt!" Naruto grumbled, sucking his finger and continuing up the last few steps to the next level. Sighing, he kept walking down the hallway, each stride's difficulty receding, as though leaving his weariness behind.

He still kept sucking his finger, all the way to the competitor's booth. Sidling over next to Shikamaru, he leaned against the railing with a proud grin.

"So, how was _that_?"

"Geez, do you always have to over do it?" Shikamaru sighed, shaking his head. Naruto snorted.

"What? I kicked his ass! Couldn't you be a _little_ happy for me?"

"Yes... But you went and made a big, dramatic speech... Again," Shikamaru pointed out. Naruto scowled.

"I don't do it on purpose..." He mumbled.

"I liked it."

Both Konoha genin turned to stare at Shino, leaning against a pillar nearby. The bug user stared back. Naruto finally grinned.

"Thanks Shino!"

Dark shades descended as he inclined his head in a polite nod, and the Aburame turned his attention elsewhere. Naruto shined his grin at the still-frowning Shikamaru.

"Ha! See? _He_ liked it!"

"Troublesome..."

"You _seriously_ need to get a better catchphrase... And where the hell is Sasuke?!"

Shikamaru opened his eyes and lazily scanned for a head of black, duck-shaped hair.

"No clue... I don't see him."

Naruto scowled, annoyance growing as he saw another jounin conferring with Hayate down below.

"Where the hell is he...?"

Up in the Hokage's box, Sarutobi frowned at his chuunin aide's whispers in his ear.

"Something wrong, Hokage-sama?" The Kazekage asked. Sarutobi sighed and shook his head.

"It would appear that Uchiha Sasuke has not yet arrived. His match was to be next, but…"

"Hokage-sama," the chuunin whispered. Sarutobi scowled at the murmuring and irritation growing below.

The veiled Kazekage turned his eyes to his counterpart, black eyes boring in his.

"Hokage-sama… If I may suggest… Perhaps we could merely skip to the next match, give Uchiha more time to appear? Given his sensei…"

Sarutobi smiled amiably. "Informed as ever, I see."

"An old proverb, keep eyes on your friends as well as your enemies," the desert ninja stated. Said eyes crinkled in a mirthless smile.

The Hokage sighed, head shaking slowly.

"If he can't show up on time…"

"Disqualification?" The Kazekage asked. The Hokage raised his brows.

"If he can't be here on time, sensei or no sensei, the rules state he must be disqualified."

"Fair play is all well and good, Hokage-sama… But consider the political ramifications," the Kazekage gestured with his eyes towards the large, expensive boxes in sight, filled with well dressed daimyos, businessmen and local and foreign clan leaders. Business suits in the style of overseas nations in blue, black and green shared equal space with elaborate, traditional kimonos and robes.

"The emergence of the last Uchiha… And my own youngest son is widely anticipated, has been for some time," the Kazekage explained. "Every nation, every major business that employs ninja is here to see them. This is as much about promotions as it is about showing the best each village has to offer."

The Kazekage raised his brows underneath his wide brimmed ceremonial hat.

"Should the Uchiha not show… Well… It would be quite the disappointment, especially in Konoha as a village."

The Hokage frowned. He sighed, and turned to his chuunin.

"… Go to the next match. Move Uchiha Sasuke to the end of the first round."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

The chuunin vanished and reappeared on the arena field. He rushed over to Hayate and quickly passed his message along. With a sigh and a roll of his eyes, he turned to address the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I will now announce the next match. Aburame Shino, Subaku no Kankuro, please come down to the arena!"

"Uh, I am unable to battle," Kanakuro immediately announced, raising his hand to get the proctor's attention. "So I forfeit!"

Naruto stared in disbelief at the puppeteer. He seemed utterly serious!

"Hey! What's with him?" Naruto growled not-so-quietly to Shikamaru, who shrugged. Kankuro ignored them both as the proctor nodded.

"In that case, the match is won by Aburame Shino due to forfeit."

Shino frowned, eyes firmly locked on Kankuro's back. His hive buzzed once. The scents his kikai were detecting from the Suna ninja were… Less than encouraging, along with the sheer _wrongness_ of Gaara.

There should be no reason for Kankuro to forfeit, Shino's allies told him he was in perfect health. He could sort through various scents and hormones in the air, as well as chakra auras, and all of it told Shino his "defeated" opponent had no injuries that would necessitate a withdrawal.

Logically, he had to be waiting to use his abilities. The question was… Waiting for what?

"Since the previous match has been called due to forfeit," Hayate announced, to much booing and dissatisfaction from the audience, "we will move to the next match." He coughed.

"Nara Shikamaru, Subaku no Temari, you're up!"

"Oh man," Shikamaru sighed. Temari smirked and leaped off the waiting deck, using her fan to hover gently to the ground.

"Let's hope this isn't a waste of my time!" She called back. Shikamaru scowled.

"This is so troublesome…" _Maybe I should forfeit too? I really don't want to fight a woman…_

"Okay, Shikamaru! Go get her!" Naruto crowed, slapping his friend hard on the back with a grin. Shikamaru's eyes bugged out as he waved his arms frantically to keep his balance, but it was too late.

"WAAAAHHH-!"

_CRASH!__  
_  
Temari winced, and glanced up back to the deck. She saw Naruto still grinning, and noticed the mischief in his eyes. He caught her gaze and she quickly looked away.  
_  
Stop it… You know he's a threat, so stop it!_ She told herself furiously, unable to believe she was blushing over him. Again.

"Eh? What's her problem now?" Naruto mumbled to himself. Looking down he glowered.

"OI, SHIKAMARU! GET GOING!"

Shikamaru groaned and glared up at Naruto.

"He did that on purpose," he muttered, in no mood to actually get up.

"C'MON SHIKAMARU! GET UP YOU LAZY ASS!" Ino shouted from the stands with a grin. "TAKE HER DOWN!"

"And now Ino's cheering me on… Terrific," Shikamaru muttered again, still lying on his back.

Up in the stands Ino smiled proudly. "Looks like our training's paying off, Chouji! Did you see how fast he got down to the field?"

"It looks more like he fell," Kiba pointed out, but quickly cringed at Ino's dark look directed his way. She shook her head.

"Ah well, you can't expect him to get moving so quickly without a few rests along the way," she sighed. She glanced over at Sakura. The pink haired girl was still smiling happily from Naruto's victory, just staring out.

"Hey Bil-er, Sakura," Ino began. "You hungry?" She snatched a bag of Chouji's chips and held it out.

"Hm? Oh, yeah. Thank you," Sakura said with a smile, taking the bag and opening it.

"Ino! Those are my chips!" Chouji whined. Ino shot him a glare.

"You've got a whole _pile_ of them! Even _you_ can go without one in that load!"

Chouji snorted. "Fine… I call the last chip though."

Ino rolled her eyes and sighed. "Fine, fine… Sakura, you owe Chouji the last…" She trailed off and stared as Sakura gobbled through the bag, shoveling handfuls into her mouth and chewing them happily. Sakura turned to Ino and held the bag out with a closed-mouth smile.

"Want some?" She asked after swallowing. Ino blinked… Before shrugging and grabbing a few chips as well. Considering how much energy she burned while training, she had pretty much given up the idea of dieting entirely, but Sakura pigging out like that?

_Is she on drugs or something?_ Ino wondered as she slowly ate the chips one at a time.

She felt a tingle in the back of her head, and she turned, scanning the crowd. Her eyes widened when she saw Hinata staring at her with the Byakugan activated, the tingle now seeming to emanated in the front of her head. Experimentally, she moved from side to side in her seat, the strange tingling shifting in her skull.

_I can feel when she uses the Byakugan on me?_ Ino thought, eyes widening. Abruptly the tingling stopped, and Hinata blinked at her, confused. Ino shook her head.

"Hey, Ino! What's with you?" Kiba asked. Ino snorted.

"Nothing. Just… Checking on something," she mumbled, turning her attention back to Shikamaru. Kiba watched her go, shaking his head and turning back to the arena.

"Man, what's the hold up? He's just lying there!"

"C'mon Shikamaru! Get up!" Ino shouted. She was completely weirded out but that didn't mean she wouldn't support her teammate and friend.

Chouji munched on some chips, pausing between mouthfuls to smile.

"Eh, you know Shikamaru. He'll only get moving when he absolutely has to."

His predication was proven true, as Temari attacked with her closed fan. As the dust cleared in the breeze from the force of her blow against the ground, a smug looking Shikamaru was standing on two kunai stuck into the wall.

"Sneaky bastard isn't he?" Kiba barked in laughter, Akamaru giving a ruff in agreement. Chouji nodded and leaned back, prepared to enjoy the show. Ino smiled and snatched another bag of chips to share with Sakura. She could adjust… This wasn't too bad as far as change went. Besides, Sakura acting like space aliens had switched her brain and actually given her curves was _nothing_ compared to actually meeting said space aliens, right?

- - - - - -

"So, you're sure you'll be on time?" Aerith asked flatly, arms over her chest as she tapped one boot against the floor of the Traverse Town hanger. Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, beaming with his odd, one-eyed smile.

"Yes mom, of course we'll be. No need to worry."

"Considering how late you were getting him here…" The Half-Ancient reminded him, smirking slightly. Kakashi had the grace to look slightly embarrassed. Not that he would for anyone else, but considering who Aerith was, he saw no reason not to be a little honest with his feelings.

Not to mention she could probably kick his ass.

"Ah, yes, ahem. Well…" He coughed. Aerith smiled sweetly.

"Next chance you get, you will bring Sasuke to visit, and you will _not_ be late," Aerith stated in a kind, no-nonsense tone. Kakashi coughed, feeling nervous.

"How will I know if I'm late?"

"You'll know," Aerith replied with a grin. Kakashi shook his head and eye-smiled back.

Sasuke, standing nearby with his pack, didn't bother to hide his smirk.

"Hey, take care Short Pants," Yuffie interjected, giving Sasuke a big hug. The Uchiha looked irritated, but with a hint of amusement in his eyes that had not been there a month ago.

"'Short Pants'?" He asked flatly. Yuffie grinned.

"Better than Emo Pants, right? Would you prefer-?"

"I would prefer something that didn't involve pants," Sasuke interrupted with a raised eyebrow. Yuffie had let him go, but now leaned her face close to his with a leer, making him blush.

"So you're a nudist then?" She asked in a breathy tone. Sasuke snorted, but he still smirked.

"Hn," he retorted as Yuffie snickered. Aerith stepped away from Kakashi and gave Sasuke a hug as well, one that seemed to cause all his previous irritation to slip away. Shyly, he returned it, an action that made Aerith smile.

"Take care now, and do well."

Sasuke nodded with his usual small smile, and leaped up into the Gummi ship cockpit. The _Tsunade's_ _Bosom_ had flown back to Konoha on auto-pilot, so they were using a Gummi ship model known as _Sylph._ It was among the simplest designs, and thus one of the more common types of craft moving between worlds. Sasuke didn't know this, and didn't particularly care. It was taking him back to Konoha, even though a small part of him wanted to stay in Traverse Town and never leave.

But… He still had his mission. Not to mention his team. Sasuke smirked a bit at that, and gave a small wave out the canopy as the _Sylph_ rose out of the hanger and headed for the sky.

He looked out the windows, hoping to trace the route back to Konoha. He wanted to come back here, he wanted to-

_WHACK!_

Kakashi smirked a little as Sasuke slumped, unconscious, in his seat. He shook his head and made the ship accelerate towards the upper atmosphere.

"Sorry Sasuke, but you're not cleared for S-Rank secrets _just_ yet…"

- - - - - - - - -

Naruto was continuing to watch Temari and Shikamaru's match, feeling extraordinarily bored. The fight was just really slow, like watching him play shogi. While Naruto could appreciate Shikamaru's strategy, he could also appreciate that Shikamaru was a lazy bastard who had only bothered to learn one freaking unique jutsu for this whole exam.

How many had Naruto learned? _Kage Bunshin no jutsu,_ _Kushiyose no Jutsu_ and _Katon: __Goukakyuu no Jutsu._ If you counted the spells he'd mastered as jutsu, _Haste, Cure, Reflect_ and _Fire, _he waspacking over seven powerful jutsu. And that wasn't even counting the techniques he'd learned from the Keyblade.

Sure, jutsu weren't everything, but still!

"God this is boring," Naruto mumbled, leaning against the railing. His stomach growled.

"Oh man… I'm so hungry all of a sudden," he groaned. Shino stepped forward and tapped Naruto on the shoulder.

"Huh?" He asked. Shino held out a pack marked "Ration Bar." Naruto blinked, and smiled.

"Hey, thanks!" Naruto said with a grin, taking the bar and ripping it open. Kankuro snorted in laughter, and Naruto scowled.

"What's so funny?"

"You, you moron," Kankuro smirked. "Taking food from one of your opponents?"

"Hey, Shino wouldn't poison me!" Naruto protested. He looked back at the Aburame heir with another smile. Shino slightly tilted his head.

"While it would no doubt be easy to do so, it is highly unlikely we will face each other in the arena due to how the matches have been arranged," Shino replied.

"Of course, he might just be saying that in order to poison you anyway," Kankuro smirked unpleasantly. "But then, like he said, it would be _easy."_

"Shut up, Doll Boy!" Naruto retorted, popping the ration into his mouth and chewing it defiantly. Kankuro laughed.

"Your funeral, Runt!"

Naruto was about to shout an insult back, when Shikamaru had Temari trapped via some clever shadow usage. He grinned and cheered.

"YEAH! GO SHIKAMARU! You did it!"

Shikamaru raised up his arm as did Temari, caught in his shadow jutsu. He opened his mouth.

"I surrender."

There was total silence for exactly ten seconds. Some in the audience could swear a tumbleweed blew across the arena.

"HUH?!" Naruto shouted, as did nearly everyone else in the stadium.

Shikamaru shrugged and released the jutsu. Temari gaped in astonishment.

"Eh… I only had enough chakra left to maintain the jutsu for another twenty seconds. I couldn't hold it any longer." He began doing stretches, as though stiff. Hayate coughed, coughed once more… Smirked.

"Winner… Subaku no Temari!" He announced.

"What the hell?!" Naruto bellowed. He leaped out of the box and landed on the ground next to the aloof Nara, furious.

"What the hell was that?! You just _quit?!_ Right when you were _winning?!"_ Naruto demanded. Shikamaru snorted.

"Shut up, I explained my reasons. Stop being so troublesome."

Naruto growled, shaking his head. He then smirked and chuckled evilly. He turned to Temari.

"You might want to back up a bit," he advised. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow as Naruto took a few steps away. Temari, confused, nevertheless backed away as well.

"Naruto, what are you-?"

"_SHIKAMARUUUUU!" _Ino's enraged shriek could be heard through the confused murmuring of the audience. Shikamaru blinked, and looked up. His eyes widened slightly.

"Oh shit."

_CRACKA-BOOM!_

"YEOW!"

High up in the audience, Ino tried to look perfectly innocent despite the fact a bolt of lightening had come out of nowhere and struck Shikamaru. Naruto was already laughing his ass off at the poofy, slightly singed afro the lazy ninja was now sporting. Temari's own lips twitched, as more people in the audience began to laugh.

Kiba gaped at the seething Ino, and wisely decided he was never going to piss her off again. _What is it with all of these girls becoming total psychos lately? At least Hinata's still herself… Right?_

"Guh…" Shikamaru groaned, eyes narrowing at Naruto, who just laughed even harder.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Outside the protective wall of Konoha, Jiraiya frowned as he observed the summoning circle being tended to and guarded by several Suna ninja. Vivi nearby watched as well, both protected under his vanish spell.

"What kind of summoning is that?" Vivi asked quietly. Jiraiya frowned.

"I've seen this before…"

"Where?" Vivi asked. Jiraiya shook his head.

"Not important right now. What we need to do is take those out, fast."

"What do you need me to do?" Vivi asked. Jiraiya turned and smirked at him.

"Well, if I know Orochimaru, he'll have several summoning circles besides this one. A number hidden under genjutsu or other illusions." Jiraiya frowned. "The fact that these are so obvious makes them simple decoys."

"Then the Suna ninja are just sacrifices?" Vivi asked, disgusted. Jiraiya nodded.

"Indeed. He's probably using the simplest giant snake summoning systems he could find to get the maximum quantity." Jiraiya turned to Vivi.

"What I need you to do is help me take down the decoys."

"Huh?" Vivi asked. "Just the decoys?"

Jiraiya smirked. "We've seen this invasion coming for a while. The Old Ape's going to lure the Sand and Sound ninja forces into a trap. Orochimaru thinks we'll only take out his decoys. But, we have to let a few of the summoning circles work so he won't hold back his full assault."

"So he'll send in all his troops and we'll catch them," Vivi summarized. Jiraiya nodded.

"Exactly."

"But that still leaves us with a few giant snakes and who knows what else to deal with," Vivi pointed out.

"Granted," Jiraiya allowed with a grin. "And that's where you come in again. I'll use my summons to deal with his, and you can give them magical support."

Jiraiya's grin turned positively feral.

"Which he _definitely_ won't have."

Vivi nodded back, eyes narrowed in determination. "So, when do we start?"

"Right now."

A few minutes later, a fire blast shot out into the clearing with the summoning circle, killing many of the ninja instantly and setting the rest on fire. A blur slashed the screaming survivor's throats and soon silence fell on the area once more. Jiraiya put Vivi on his back again and they headed off for the next target.

- - - - - - - - -

Naruto finally managed to calm himself down, but couldn't look at Shikamaru's afro without snickering. However, his attention was easily drawn to the conference Hayate was having with a chuunin. He scowled, easily figuring out what the problem was.

"Where the hell is Sasuke?" He snorted. Shikamaru sighed.

"He's going to get disqualified at this rate…"

"That, or Kakashi is just going to show up at the very last minute. Lazy bastard," Naruto snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Shikamaru frowned over at his friend.

"I'd heard he was lazy…"

"Of course he's lazy!" Naruto sighed. "Except when it comes to _Sasuke,_ of course!" The blond genin scowled. Sure, Sasuke was his friend, and he worked just as hard as he did, but it didn't make it hurt any less that Kakashi had just shoved him off onto Ebisu and left Sakura with _nothing._ He'd gotten training though, probably the best training he could have hoped for except from the Hokage himself, but that was in _spite_ of the jounin, not _because._

_Stupid bastard,_ Naruto thought viciously. He then took a deep breath, and shook his head. Getting angry wasn't going to help, was it? No. He had to control his temper, especially considering how easily he'd slipped before. The Kyuubi was always there, just _waiting_ for a chance for him to get angry enough for her to push her way into his mind.

On one hand, he hated that the Kyuubi was this entrenched into him already. On the other, learning to stay calm and focused had definitely helped with his training.

Hayate stepped away from the chuunin from the Hokage, and took a deep breath. He looked up at the audience.

"Very well… As the final contestant in the first round has not shown up, even with two whole approved delays, Uchiha Sasuke has been-"

_FWOOSH!_ A swirling whirlwind appeared in the middle of the arena, scattering leaves and dust and revealing two figures. One was Kakashi, standing with his hands in his pockets and his head tilted slightly down. The other was Sasuke, dressed in a black one-piece outfit with his sword on his back, and bandages wrapped around his right arm and both legs. The traditional Uchiha fan was on one shoulder of the suit, while on the other was a gold Leaf symbol.

Hayate just stared, before rolling his eyes with a sigh. Naruto smirked at Shikamaru, who did not look very surprised himself.

"Told you…"

_- - - - - - - -_

_Well, that's forty days between updates. Sorry I haven't been able to keep my promise of an update every month guys. Still, considering it's been ten months and over 150,000 words archived, that's not too bad a rate of update, compared to other fan fictions on the site. Anyway, this is more or less a filler chapter to get things moving. Next chapter we'll see Gaara versus Sasuke and the beginning of the invasion in earnest. _

_Where is Lee? You'll find out soon enough, I promise._

_Now, new omakes! I spent a lot of time writing new ones over the winter break and I hope you enjoy them, as well as the user submitted ones! Feel free to keep submitting new ones as well, they'll all end up in chapters. Though not right away as I have a pretty big backlog of them._

It's Fun! By Andrew Joshua Talon

"God this is boring," Naruto mumbled, leaning against the railing watching Temari and Shikamaru's match. A pair of hands squeezed his ass.

"GYAH?!" He cried, Keyblade flashing into existence as he spun around. His assailant ducked and stood back up, grinning unabashedly at him. Naruto's eyes widened.

"S-Sakura-chan?"

"Hello Naruto!" She said cheerfully. "I just came by to give you your good luck charm! I don't think you needed it, but then again, it never hurts to be careful," she purred, leaning in more closely to him. Naruto gulped and glanced around.

Shino's eyes had shot up nearly to his hairline, Kankuro was snickering, and Gaara was ignoring him. Naruto was pretty thankful for that last bit. He had a sudden mental image of that lunatic forming a hand out of sand and giving him a thumbs up with a big grin ala Gai or Lee.

He was pretty sure if that happened, he'd _definitely_ know he had gone completely insane, and somehow he _knew_ it was the fault of the Keyblade. Naruto glared at the weapon glistening innocently in the sunlight. It _had_ to have caused this, he just knew it!

"Naruto? Are you all right?" Sakura asked in genuine concern. Naruto coughed and reminded himself that Sakura was standing in front of him. Very close to him. And had just _squeezed his ass._

"Uh… Sakura-chan… Why did you…?"

"Squeeze your butt?" Sakura giggled. "It's fun!" To punctuate that statement, she reached around his waist and pinched one of his cheeks, making him squeak.

"F-F-FUN?!"

"Oh yes, I could do this all day and not get bored," Sakura confirmed cheerfully. She pinched his butt again, making Naruto jump and squeak again.

"S-SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Sakura! Damnit, what the hell are you doing?"

Naruto had never been so relieved in all his life to see an angry Ino. Sakura pouted cutely.

"Awww… I just wanted to give him my good luck charm!" She whined. Ino sighed, and grabbed Sakura's hand.

"Look, we're not supposed to be here, and _you're_ not supposed to be sexually harassing Naruto!"

Sakura smirked evilly, and deftly flipped her hand out of Ino's and onto her wrist. She pulled the surprised blonde's fingers to Naruto's buttocks, and Ino reflexively squeezed.

"GYAH!" Naruto squeaked, jumping for a third time. Mortified, he saw Kankuro laughing his ass off. Even Shino looked amused, and he wasn't supposed to react to anything!

"S-SAKURA!" Both blondes screeched. Sakura giggled.

"C'mon, even you have to admit that was fun," she scolded Ino playfully. Ino stared in disbelief at Naruto as she yanked back her hand. Seeing he was in much the same state, Ino decided that for both their sanities, she had to get this under control and _fast._

"Oookay, that's enough fun for today," Ino smiled the smile of one who is dealing with the insane as she again took Sakura's hand. "Why don't you make your good luck gift a victory gift for when Naruto wins this thing, huh?"

"Well… Good things come to those who wait, I suppose," Sakura pouted. She shot Naruto a parting wink as Ino led her away. "I'll see you later, Naruto-_kun."_

"Um, right," Naruto laughed nervously as the two girls vanished, Ino shooting Naruto a raised eyebrow, and he replying with as shell shocked a look as he'd ever managed.

What if Tenten's Father was...? (Otherwise known as "The Red Capes!") By MegaKiraraLover/MKL

Tenten, Naruto, Hinata, Ino, Gaara (who was good by then), Kankuro, and Kiba (and Akamaru, obviously) were flying through the clouds on an airship before they spotted an interesting planet.

"Whoa, it's all broken and stuff," Kiba noted with a blink, leaning forward to get a better look out the window.

"No duh," Ino said with a roll of her eyes.

"Geesh, think he'd be smarter then that, even with his low intelect," Kankuro snorted.

Kiba glared at them and appeared ready to say something before Naruto whooped in excitement.

"Hey, hey, hey, let's land, guys!" he said excitedly, jumping up and down. No one could object, as a moment later, they were flying towards the ground.  
_  
Boom!_

_Crash landing!  
_  
"N-Naruto-kun," Hinata groaned.

"Do that again and I'll kill you," Gaara growled (ookay, so maybe i lied about the whole 'good' thing).

"Stupid idiot, crashing us into a planet without even checking the readouts," Akamaru barked to Kiba, who nodded his agreement.

"What Akamaru said," the ninja added.

"Hey, where'd Tenten go?" Ino asked with a blink, looking around. Before anyone could answer, a gunshot rang out and Naruto yelped girlily, jumping into Kankuro's arms Scooby Doo-style.

"Never do that again," Tenten growled. Everyone stared at her.

First off, she was standing on top of a building. Second, her ravenk-black hair had fallen until it was covering the area around her eyes, barely held out of the way by a red hairband. She was wearing a tattered red cloak with a high neck over a black leather outfit that included a gun holster on her hip, and she was holding a gun with three barrels that each had a dog's head on it.

"What the fuck?" Gaara couldn't help but ask. Normally he would have gotten odd looks, but everyone was too shocked by Tenten to notice.

"Naruto, you will go out with me," Tenten said in a deathly-quiet voice, jumping off of the roof she was on and landing in a crouch. The group noticed her odd, pointed gold shoes and stared. She turned to Kiba and held her gun to his head.

"And Kiba," she continued in that same tone, "if you ever come into my room at night and try to 'sneak a peak' again, you will earn yourself a bullet through the brain."

Silence reigned as Tenten flipped the gun into the holster and turned around, cape flying out dramatically behind her.

"Any objections and I will summon Chaos to rip you all to shreds."

And with that, she walked away, footsteps silent despite the odd shoes.

"--ah," Hinata started with a blink, "w-was that really T-T-Tenten?"

"Worse," Naruto groaned, recognising the outfit from stories that Yuffie had told him on the last planet they were on. "She's a vampire with no people skills and about four demons inside of her."

"I think," Gaara muttered to himself as the others started on ahead, "I'm in love."

"Don't let her hear that," Kankuro snorted in response, shaking his head as the two trailed after the group. "She might follow through with that summoning Chaos crap. I heard stories about that thing. Could be a match for Shukaku."

Gaara's eyes flashed gold for a moment and a smirk crossed his face.

Hm, that could be fun...

Ja ne!  
(please note that the person she was modeled after is from final fantasy VII. if you've never seen that, you wouldn't get some of the jokes.)

Valley of the End, by I-don't-like-pen-names:

At The Valley of The End, Naruto and Sasuke stood across from each other, starring.  
"Alright Sasuke, lets end this quick." stated Naruto.  
"Feh" agreed Sasuke as he powered up his Chidori.  
Al of a sudden, Naruto pulled a small ship from his pocket...  
"I summon you, the Black Pearl!" Naruto cried.  
"wha.." thats about as far as he got before a huge... boat fell into the Valley.  
"Oi! Its not a boat, its a ship,savvy?" yelled a rather...unique pirate "And futhermore...why the hell is my ship in a d(bad pirate language) valley?!  
Naruto grinned as Sasuke starred/glared/faultered/oogled...whether at the ship or the pirate, Naruto couldnt tell.  
"Prepare do be pillaged, Sasuke." said Naruto  
"Not before having some rum, da(more bad pirate words)!" said Jack  
Well, Naruto thought sweatdropping, I couldve somehow summoned the 101 dalmations, but I dont think Sasuke would care too much about those Animal Rights Activists...

Every Man's Weakness By RockLeeTheAwesome:

Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi watched in silent shock(a mild term for Sakura and Sasuke as their jaws were on the floor,) as Naruto walked up to them in the stands of the Coliseum. He was shouldering the Keyblade with his usual goofy grin on his face.

Sasuke deadpanned inside,'I don't believe it!'

"Sephiroth!"

Inner Sakura was raging,"'Are you shitting me?"!?'"

Kakashi was now eyesmiling,"That's just too damn funny."

"Sephiroth!"

They had just watched Itachi go running out of the Coliseum screaming like a four-year-old,(with a slight game of keep away with Sasuke) and then watched Naruto go up against Sephiroth in without a doubt his toughest fight ever. It hadn't helped that Kyuubi flat refused to help him on the grounds that Sephiroth was an old lover or something. They hadn't really payed attention to Naruto screaming at himself, for it was a regular occurance,even during battle. Naruto had gotten a major beatdown, barely landing any hits on the One Winged Angel. No, the thing that amazed them most was that he'd won. But not just that he'd won. It was how he'd won the match that had them all surprised.

"That was very interesting,Naruto." Kakashi chortled.

"Sephiroth!"

Sasuke regained his composure first."I don't get it! How the hell did that work?!"

At that, Naruto smirked widely and turned to face Sasuke."You gotta remember,Teme. Every man over the age of 14 is perverted!!"

The entire team sweatdropped as they left the stands not even stopping to look back as Naruto's Harem no Jutsu continued to finish off his latest opponent.

"OH,SEPHIROTH!"


	30. Strong And Strike

llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"  
  
**"Demon speak"**

  
Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit.  
_  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sasuke took a deep breath of fresh air. He'd never considered himself particularly sentimental about Konoha. It was his village, the place he lived, but not a home. Not really. Even now, a small part of him longed to be back in Traverse Town.

Still, there was no denying that something felt right, felt better being back in Konoha. A sense of rightness. He doubted it was Konoha that had changed, so he supposed it must have been himself.

"Hey, Sasuke! You're late!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke turned and smirked at the grinning blond. "And what's with the outfit? You lose a bet or something?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that, still smirking.

"Look whose talking. Safety Orange isn't safe for ninjas."

Naruto gaped in astonishment, before grinning even more broadly.

"Just who got that stick out of your ass, Sasuke?"

"You're really that interested?" Sasuke asked mildly. Naruto groaned.

"Gah! You bastard!"

"You brought it up," Sasuke reminded him. Naruto smirked.

"Yes, and now I'm paying for it," he replied. Trading verbal spars with Ino and Vivi had definitely brought up Naruto's snarking skills. But the grin he wore was genuine.

Sasuke's small smile was just as real.

"I'm going to fight you, remember that Sasuke," Naruto stated. He frowned. "And watch out for this guy. He's strong… And he won't hesitate to kill you."

Sasuke nodded back, face serious.

Ignoring Kakashi, Naruto leaped up to the waiting deck. Shikamaru soon joined him, both settling in to watch. Gaara emerged on the field from the stairs a moment later, slowly walking towards Sasuke, that mask of cold rage in place. Kakashi vanished a second later after talking a bit more to Hayate, who sighed and stood between Gaara and Sasuke. The crowd became deathly still, the excited murmuring that began when Sasuke appeared dying down. Their choice, their prodigy, had arrived.

The Kazekage grinned behind his veil. _Finally... He's here..._

A secret signal from the Kazekage made his chuunin nod, sending it out to hidden eyes everywhere. At the same time, the Hokage sent his own secret signal, and the crowd became more rowdy, more excited.

"Sure to be quite a match, Hokage-sama," the Kazekage said with true eagerness. The Hokage nodded back, his smile congenial and friendly, the perfect mask.

"Yes... It will be quite a show..."

- - - - - -

"YES! GO SASUKE!" Ino cheered, waving her staff around happily. She jumped for joy, she laughed. Finally, he was here! He wasn't late! He wasn't disqualified!

"Sakura, he made it just in-!"

Ino stopped at the small smile on Sakura's face. The pink headed girl raised her eyes to look at her.

"Hm? Yeah, it's great. Go Sasuke!" She cheered quietly, before leaning back in her seat. Ino blinked. She shared a look with Chouji, who just shrugged. Kiba was blinking in equal disbelief.

Seeing Sakura not care about Sasuke, and seeing her _not care about Sasuke when he was here_, it was just so... _Weird_.

"Um, well," Ino coughed awkwardly, sitting down, "let's hope he... He does well..."

She looked out over the arena again, shuddering when her eyes landed on Gaara. His madness, the sheer weight of his killing intent... Nightmares were the offspring of that encounter, and lucky her, not one but _two_ monsters dominated it.

_Naruto isn't a monster… It's that _thing_ inside him,_ she needlessly reminded herself, yet the terror of scarlet death still hung on her as heavily as oblivion from a whip of sand. Yet she acknowledged more differences between the two boys, the two monsters within them.

Gaara's seemed playfully psychotic, a child dripping in blood and smiling in perverted innocence. Naruto's, the Kyuubi… It reveled in the horrors it inflicted, the fear is inspired through crimson fire and a predator's cunning.

_Sasuke can do it... Sasuke can beat him,_ she thought, trying to turn herself away from such dark musings. _He's a prodigy, last of the Uchiha, he can't lose._

She could barely make out his magic readings from this far away, especially with her rudimentary skills, but it was there. She grinned. His chances were much better with magic, _much_ better.

_It still took Naruto using the Kyuubi's power to beat him back,_ her mind told her heart. Ino passed it off, trying to control the fear. Trying not to remember how Gaara had fought.

_He can win... He can win... He can win..._

But she knew, she _knew, _that it takes a special kind of man to defeat a monster, and she could not help the doubts that Sasuke was that type.

- - - - - -

"Is that the signal?" Sawada asked, frowning as she stared into the distance. Kabuto nodded.

"The first," he stated cryptically. He turned and resumed leaping on rooftops. Behind his mask, he smirked at the fact that the majority of the civilians were already being moved into shelters. Those left behind were joined by disguised ninja in plainclothes.

It was obvious the attack would be found out. For all his cunning, Orochimaru did tend to underestimate Konoha due to his hatred for it. All of this orchestrated, just to have revenge against one old man. Against a village that denied him his quest, his desire for knowledge.

It was this above any other reason that made Kabuto happy to serve Maleficent. She did not let her grudges or hatred consume her. She dealt with all enemies with ruthless, calculating efficiency.

_The casualties will be close to 70 percent on the invader's side,_ he analyzed critically. The trap was being prepared all across the village even as his "allies" approached to enter it.

_Well... No matter. In the end, all of this shall be nothing but memories,_ he mused, landing near the Hokage tower. Sawada skidded to a halt behind him, and he produced a small, green block. It glowed sedately, but it's brightness increased when Kabuto pointed it to the west. He nodded and pocketed the object.

"C'mon." He took off again, his partner right behind him.

- - - - - -

Treb dipped the last of the broth in the bowl into his mouth, slurping loudly. He set the bowl back down on the counter with a clunk and a grin.

"Ahhh... That hit the spot, it did! Teuchi my good man, this is a great thing you've got 'ere. Divine noodles a plenty from you!"

Teuchi smirked and nodded. "Nice to hear. So, how do you intend to pay?"

"Ahhh... Hold on a tick," Treb coughed, searching through his pockets. Ichiraku looked over at his daughter, who smiled back softly.

"Ah... Er..."

_Beep beep!_ Ayame and Treb jumped, while Teuchi rolled his eyes. Treb turned on his stool and raised an eyebrow at Herbie. The car honked its horn again, almost impatiently. Treb nodded and turned to Teuchi with a charming grin.

"Well mate, looks like you'll have to put this on me tab." He looked over at Ayame, coughing. Ichiraku nodded reluctantly.

"All right... In that case, you can start working off you debt by giving Ayame a ride in your car," Ichiraku intoned mock-gravely. Ayame started, and stared at her father in mild disbelief.

"Dad?"

Teuchi gave her a warm smile. "It's all right dear, you deserve a break. Besides, he can probably take you to see Naruto... Or Iruka, perhaps," he added with a knowing smile. Ayame blushed and lightly smacked her father's shoulder.

"_Daaad!_"

Treb chuckled, and stood up. He held his hands out to the small white car with a dramatic flourish.

"I'd be more than happy to show off Herbie to you, miss. He's a fun car, though just a bit moody."

The car honked again, and revved it's engine as though growling. Ayame blinked, and glanced over at her father. His expression was still a kind smile... But she caught something in his eyes. Something that told her he wanted her to go with Treb for reasons that had nothing to do with a fun ride.

She grimaced internally. She hated this, hated that he wouldn't tell her what was going on. It wasn't the first time, and she doubted it would be the last. It was her father's nature to protect her by keeping secrets. Ayame couldn't begrudge him that as a lot of these secrets she'd discovered on her own.

Little pieces of a larger puzzle, always carefully concealed. Ayame had tried very hard not to resent her father for keeping things from her, accepting that he probably knew more than she did... But it still stirred up some anger inside.

She nodded, and gave him a genuine smile.

"I'd love to go for a ride," she replied. She narrowed her eyes slightly, smile dropping.

"And when I get back...?" She prompted. Teuchi's smile also dropped, and he sighed, suddenly looking very old and tired.

"I promise."

Ayame nodded, and gave her father a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. She exited the stand and walked over to Treb with a smile, looking a bit confused when he held out his elbow.

"Oh, sorry," Treb chuckled. He gently took her arm and looped it around his. "Tradition where I'm from. Guide the lady by the arm."

"Well, thank you," Ayame smiled, walking with Treb to Herbie. She reached out a hand and gently patted the hood, the car's engine revving but at a much lower volume, as though purring.

"Aw, lookit that! He likes you!" Treb laughed. Herbie beeped in the affirmative Ayame smiled, and patted the car again before Treb let her go and opened the door to the side. Ayame walked around and stepped up, sliding onto the warm leather seat. Treb closed the door, and slid over the hood, Herbie opening the door and allowing him to drop into the driver's side. Treb put the car in gear.

"Don't worry, Teuchi! She'll be just fine!" Treb shouted, waving with Ayame as Herbie trundled off. Teuchi returned the wave, keeping it up until his daughter, his old friend, and the car turned the corner and were out of sight. The moment this was done, he quickly undid his apron and pulled out the "CLOSED" sign. He walked into the back storage room, pushing open the door with a low squeak. His keen eyes scanned the shelves and boxes of supplies, walking over to one shelf in particular with several cans of spices sitting on it. Pushing one of the cans aside, he fiddled with a section of the wall before nodding and pushing a hidden button.

The section of the wall the shelf was attached to seemed to gain a door, lines appearing and forming a square. Teuchi tugged on the shelf and pulled it open, the simple white plaster wall swinging open to reveal cold grey steel. A compartment resembling a box safe was revealed, numerous objects sitting serenely.

Teuchi nodded grimly, reaching out for the first item. It resembled a round, squat white plastic bottle with a matching gun handle attached, which Teuchi strapped to his belt. He pulled out a knapsack, opening it and rummaging around. He nodded seeing that everything it contained was in order, and he slung it over his shoulder.

Teuchi took a deep breath and turned around, counting on the hidden safe to close itself as he headed for the door... Before he stopped and smacked his forehead.

"Can't believe this," he mumbled, turning around and grabbing the safe door before it closed all the way. He reopened it partway and reached in, yanking out a bright orange, folded towel he set on his shoulder. He closed the safe door and smirked to himself.

"Almost forgot," he stated, turning around and marching out the storeroom door, shutting it firmly behind him.

- - - - - -

Naruto leaned forward, eyes narrowing. The Keyblade hadn't flashed into existence yet, but he could feel the weapon seeming to tense in the back of his mind as the match began.

Sasuke started out with a trio of thrown shuriken, zipping with deadly accuracy right for Gaara. Erupting seemingly out of nowhere, a small pillar of sand shifted into an imitation of Gaara and took the hit, one grain-constructed hand reaching out and grabbing one of the shurikens while the rest just embedded themselves in the silt.

Sasuke broke into a run, charging for Gaara with arms held to his sides. The sand construct Gaara dissolved, lashing out like a lance for Sasuke. The Uchiha survivor weaved out of range and leaped over the sand's swing, before kicking nimbly off the ground and into a forward flip to avoid another horizontal slash.

This brought him above Gaara, which was smoothly countered by the sand wielder with a directly vertical burst. A cat-like twist of his body allowed Sasuke to avoid the strike, sand almost grazing his side, as he curled into a ball and barreled for the ground, landing with only a slight bend of the knees.

"Show off," Naruto muttered, shaking his head. Shikamaru snorted next to him.

Sasuke scowled and leaped back and forth to avoid two more strikes by Gaara's sand, the deadly grains formed into pincers designed to crush the Uchiha heir.

_Damnit... He's fast,_ Sasuke thought. He could avoid the sand, certainly, but his training with Kakashi hadn't boosted his speed as much as he'd have liked. Gaara held up a hand, and the sand came faster, forcing Sasuke into a series of acrobatic rolls, hand springs, and even a cartwheel to avoid it.

_I hoped I didn't have to use it this early, but..._

_"HASTE!"_ Sasuke called out, a glowing red circle vaguely resembling the markings of a clock briefly appearing and spinning around his wrist. He accelerated, charging for Gaara at twice his original speed.

"What the...? Where did he learn that?" Naruto gaped.

Up in the crowd, Ino and Sakura also frowned.

"Wait, how could Sasuke know that sp-er, jutsu?" Ino asked, blinking in disbelief. Sakura shook her head.

"It's not the same as Naruto's though..."

"No, it isn't," Ino allowed, as Sasuke briefly vanished out of the front of a lash of Sand, and reappeared right behind Gaara. The redhead's eyes widened in shock as Sasuke slammed his hands down on the ground and kicked him right in the side, sending him flying and crashing into a cushion of sand that flowed with his fall. Sasuke sprang back to his feet and charged again, not waiting for Gaara to get back up.

_But it looks like he's also using chakra with magic, at least a little,_ Ino thought. _He was able to boost his speed for just a moment._

Sakura frowned. _Sasuke's also using the same type of jutsu I am? As Naruto? How? Where did he learn it?_ She glowered down, thoughts of yet another betrayal by her cyclopean former sensei entering her mind.

_Did he copy Sawada-sensei's techniques? That bastard! _

"Damn, he can do it too," Kiba muttered. Ino shook her head, biting her lip.

"How... Where did he learn this?"

Sasuke, unaware of the murmuring about the similarities of his abilities to his orange-clad teammate's, once again handily dodged a whip of sand from his opponent and hand sprang back. Loathe as he was to admit it, Sasuke had a certain flair for the dramatic.

Talking down to his opponents when in the open, stealth not being an issue and showing them just how futile their attempts to defeat him were, well… He craved such an encounter, to show the same contempt for his adversary's abilities as _He_ had shown for him. Vengeance is a dish best served cold, and Sasuke couldn't imagine a colder revenge than being revealed as a weakling to the world. The kind of satisfaction he would gain from Itachi's future death, he hoped.

Even with this, as he drew his sword and launched a blast of magical fire at Gaara (blocked with a quick application of his will over the sands), Sasuke could not deny that being the flashy hero wasn't exclusively Naruto's desire. He had read fiction extensively as a child about great heroes of the past, men from his own history and legendary figures from books across the sea. They saved the day, defeated their foes, and had a happy ever after.

He wanted a happily ever after, he was _going_ to have a happily ever after, and each hurdle he got over was one step closer to that ending.

Gaara consolidated his sand, bringing it into an orb that enclosed him like an egg perched on a mound of mud. Sasuke scowled, bringing his sword up and dashing forward, intending to thrust through the hard shell with all his strength.

He never got the chance, nearly meeting sharp spikes of hardened sand jutting out of the sphere's surface. Sasuke abruptly changed direction, dashing backwards and skidding to a halt outside the reach of those lethal spikes. He frowned, and stood silently, scrutinizing the shell with his Sharingan.

_I didn't want to pull this out this early… But it looks like I don't have a lot of choice,_ he thought. He rushed backwards from another spike of sand, longer this time, and rushed up the side of the arena wall. Turning around, he briefly sheathed his sword and made hand seals.

_I can only do this twice a day,_ he reminded himself, crouching down and holding his right arm down, palm facing the stone surface. Lightening quickly crackled around his fingertips, as though a bonfire of pure electricity was forming. The sound of birds chirping began to fill the air, as the concentrated electricity formed a spike jutting from his palm. Sasuke grabbed the wrist of his occupied hand, and felt a smirk come over his features.

_Let's see if your shell… Can block this!_

- - - - - - - -

Up in the stands, Maito Gai had arrived with an injured Rock Lee, his favorite pupil having insisted on coming to see the finals. The taijutsu master hadn't the heart to begrudge his favorite student his request, and had actually offered to carry Lee. Lee, however, had declined and instead had hobbled his way to the stadium on a crutch.

Kakashi had made it into the stands, walking alongside Gai at his pace behind the limping Lee.

"Kakashi! It is good to see you," Gai greeted cordially. "Your student acquitted himself well!"

Kakashi nodded. "I guessed that. Your student?"

Gai smiled broadly. "Though he was defeated, I imagine the insights he gained will be all the better for him."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow, but decided not to ask. He knew Naruto had a way of making _significant_ impressions on people, and he imagined his most surprising student would tell him the story in due time.

_This coldness is expected,_ he thought. _He'll get over it… If he survives._

Coming up onto the section where he'd spotted a head of pink hair, Kakashi saw Sakura stand up from her seat next to Asuma's kunoichi, green eyes narrowing at him.

_Uh oh…_ He eye smiled at her, and put a hand behind his head in traditional sheepish fashion.

"Ah, hello Sakura."

"You're _late,"_ she spat. Kakashi frowned as her killing intent was released. It was _much_ stronger than before, and had a hint of something… Truly _menacing._ Coming from a genin like Sakura, that was saying something. He felt Gai stiffen next to him, and saw Lee gape at the about to overflow cauldron of fury that was Haruno Sakura.

_Oh shit…_

"HOW THE HELL COULD YOU JUST LEAVE ME BEHIND AND NOT TEACH ME A DAMN THING?!" Sakura roared, causing every eye in the section to turn away from the fight towards them. Kakashi grimaced.

"Sakura, perhaps we can discuss this later-?"

"_Ohhhh_ no you _don't!_ You're not getting out of _this_, you _lazy_, _backstabbing, hypocritical-!"_

Ino just blinked in astonishment. Lee's jaw was nearly to the stadium deck and it seemed like it was going to keep going until it hit. Kiba was trying desperately, and unsuccessfully, not to laugh.

"-_porn obsessed anti-social sexist-!"_

Kakashi was uncomfortably reminded of the way his mother would scream at him when he was a child. The killing intent didn't let up, and while it didn't affect him enough to give him pause, Sakura's attitude and that extra _hint_ of something else in her aura was sufficient to keep him silent as she continued her rant.

"-_you taught NARUTO those jutsus, you taught SASUKE those jutsus, but not me?!"_

"Wait, what jutsus?" Kakashi interrupted, his confusion focused on another subject. Sakura snorted disdainfully.

"Oh right, _like you didn't know you-!"_

"Uh, look! Sasuke's doing something really… What the _hell_ is that, anyway?" Ino interrupted, raising an eyebrow at Kakashi as she did. Kakashi frowned and more closely scrutinized the blonde girl. The hat, her dress… That _staff…_

_A Black Mage? Who the hell could have taught her…? Given her…?_

"Ah! I see what your formidable student is doing," Gai observed, nodding as Sasuke charged, the lightening jutsu screaming in his hand as he prepared to run down the stadium wall. Kakashi took the distraction for what it was, watching his student's progress.

Kakashi nodded, all too mindful of Sakura's seething. "Yes… I taught him _that."_

Sakura snarled, and was about to launch into another rant before Kakashi held up a hand.

"We'll discuss this later, Sakura," he stated flatly, brooking no argument. Sakura glared at him, but turned back to watch Sasuke's charge.

Sasuke began rushing down the stadium wall, destroying the ground underneath the strange jutsu as he rapidly descended. Sakura frowned.

"What _is_ that? It's making so much noise…"

"An assassination technique, and a very powerful one," Gai explained. Kiba frowned.

"Assassination? What good is it for assassination if it's that loud?"

Gai smiled knowingly. "While it is very loud, it is also essentially unstoppable. Which is a two-edged sword – To use it effectively you must be fast, very fast, but due to it's execution it is best employed in a straight thrust. Thus, you need to have a Sharigan to use it to it's full potential."

"Of course," Sakura angrily muttered, sitting back down in her seat and glaring down. Gai continued his explanation as Sasuke hit the stadium floor, now rushing along the ground right for Gaara.

"Its secret lies in the speed of the thrust and the activation of the body to generate a large amount of Chakra. Then he concentrates that large amount of Chakra into the thrusting arm. And because of the incredible speed he moves at...it emits a distinct chirping sound similar to a thousand birds chirping. That's why the move is called..."

Deftly avoiding two spikes on his way in, Sasuke's smirk was visible just before he rammed his arm through his opponent's shell, a crackling boom echoing around the stadium.

".._Chidori_!" Finished Gai dramatically.

Ino gaped. Chouji's jaw dropped. Kiba blinked. Sakura's scowl deepened.

"_Chidori_," Gai explained, "also called _Raikiri_, or 'Lightening blade'. It's name is derived from when Kakashi once cut through lightening."

"Oh yeah right," Ino snorted.

"Cut through lightening? Please," Sakura scoffed.

"Say what you will... But it is an effective technique, though a dangerous one," Gai spoke, eying Kakashi. The Copy Ninja shrugged.

"No more dangerous than the Gates," he replied evenly, making Gai wince.

"Still... It has one fatal flaw," Lee spoke up quietly. "It is easily countered..."

- - - - - - - -

_What is this…? What is this red… This wetness…?_

Gaara stared at the arm that had pushed through his shell, imbedding itself in his shoulder. His blinked slowly, analyzing the sensations of the warm fluid soaking into his tunic. The metallic smell…

_Familiar… So familiar…_

The scent of a hundred kills, an aroma that washed over the senses, always exciting Gaara and his mother. The thing she craved, and he delivered, and _always_ enjoyed.

_Blood…_

_Blood?! My blood?! MY BLOOD?!_

"_MY BLOOD!" _

Sasuke felt a massive surge of chakra, _malevolent_ and cloying, wash over him. He yanked his arm out of the sand and leaped away just before a spike of sand could skewer him.

On the waiting deck, Naruto felt the chakra, and saw the fearful faces of Gaara's siblings.

_Yeah… This is bad…_

As the violent aura washing over the crowd, the 'Kazekage' smirked behind his veil. He stood up. His chuunin vanished into smoke, jumping away to the rooftop behind him. He _moved,_ reappearing behind the Hokage and leaping up to the roof, the old man grunting and forced to move with him by the kunai at his throat.

"Send the signal!" He bellowed, and the four Sound ninja who appeared at the corners of the roof nodded, all holding up hands and shooting off brightly colored flares into the air.

"Nothing to say, old man?" The 'Kazekage' grinned, kunai pressing into Sarutobi's flesh just that much more. To his mild surprise, the Hokage chuckled darkly.

"There is little that needs to be said… Orochimaru!"

Sarutobi broke out of the hold, dashing backwards. He glared at his former pupil as he released his disguise, pale face smirking.

"I'll give you credit, old man… You're not as feeble as I thought." The Snake Sannin licked his lips.

Sarutobi, seeing the trap of the barrier now sprung around him, a purple cube that cut him off from his forces to do battle with Orochimaru alone… Merely smiled grimly. He'd read his former pupil perfectly. He divested himself of his white robes and hat, standing in black battle armor that shifted with his fighting stance.

"But it doesn't matter… That will of fire you lectured so _eloquently_ about, so many times, so long ago…?" Orochimaru leered.

"_Your little village will be burned to ashes with it."_

- - - - - - - - - -

_The invasion begins! I'd say more, but suffice it to say I'd prefer not to spoil you guys too much. Sorry for the slow pace of updates, but due to school and my own wandering attention it's going to be rather slow for the next few chapters._

_Still, we'll be world hopping within two more chapters at most, this I assure you._

_Now, more omakes! And please, if you do not find your omake in the very next chapter after you give me one, don't think I'm not going to put it in. I've just received so many of them, and I've limited myself to placing only a few per chapter, that people who have sent their omakes in earlier generally get their omakes put in earlier._

_Also, the less I have to edit, spell check, and generally fix the omakes, the more likely I am to put them in too._

_Finally, I sort through so much email that I sometimes forget where sent omakes are, so if you have sent me one via PM or other means, I may have misplaced it._

_So, just keep all this in mind for future omakes._

_A big thanks to the patient members of TFF for all their help on this chapter. However, don't think I'm letting you guys off the hook. Review and be honest, and I will edit up what I have misspelled or otherwise done incorrectly. Thank you._

Tenten VS. Gaara (Otherwise known as "Battle of the Demons!") by MegaKiraraLover/MKL

(this is a continuation of MKL's 'what if tenten's father was...?'. please read that first.)

Tenten and Gaara stared each other down from either side of a large broken-down city that had once been grand, known as Midgar. It was hidden away on Radient Garden at the moment, but that was beside the point.

"You do not want to do this," Tenten said in her new deathly-quiet voice.

"Yes I do," Gaara responded emotionlessly, arms folded over his chest as he kept his expression carefully blank. Inside, his heart was pounding--this was going to be the most fun he and/or Shukaku had for a long time!

Tenten nodded her understanding, drawing the gun known as Cerberus from the holster on her hip. "Then do not blame me when you die."

Gaara finally broke his emotionless shell and a crazy grin crossed his face as his sand swirled around him, creating a demonic arm/hand and turning the right side of his face into a demon's, complete with gold-black star eye. Tenten was unfazed and instead hopped of the way of a blast of sand from Gaara's demonic arm.

"You must aim better then that," she said nonchalantly, firing off a round into Gaara's sand arm. He shouted out in pain before glaring at her.

A series of sand shuriken flew off in her direction, but Tenten nimbly back flipped out of the way, firing off another round before she had to pause and reload. Gaara took the chance to jump forward and try to hit her, although Tenten easily jumped to the side to avoid the deadly attack. She finished reloading and flipped the barrels closed, raising the gun and firing it again. The three bullets completely missed this time.

"Ahaha, you can't beat me!" demon-Gaara roared, drooling a bit as he laughed cruelly.

"No," Tenten responded easily, "you can't beat me."

Suddenly, a red aura started up around her, slowly starting to transform her features.

Her eyes glowed, slowly turning gold as her black hair spiked backwards in a style reminiscent of Sasuke's (minus the bangs). Her cape turned into wings, black and boney with three white bones at the tips, each easily the size of her whole body. Her headband flew down to cover her right eye, although a hole in the fabric let you see said eye. Her golden shoes turned silver and crept up the sides of her legs to create pointy silver knee pads.

Her pants stayed the same under her kneepads, but her shirt became tattered until it only covered the necessary areas (which showed off bluish skin that covered the rest of her body), and silver padding made its way over the majority of the rest of her chest/stomach and upper arms. A dark blue glove stretched to cover her right hand and lower arm, while a golden claw grew from her left elbow to go down to the tips of her fingers, each finger sharpened to a razor point.

Gaara's human eye widened as he stared at the creature before him, which had a murderous intent that surpassed even Shukaku's.

"I am Puella-Chaos," the creature growled in a clearly-feminine voice, smirking cruelly to reveal pointed white teeth (1). "Back down now, and I won't kill you...or at least, I'll try not to."

Shukaku and Gaara both yelped and turned around, Shukaku taking over Gaara's mouth for a moment.

"Sorry, but I ain't fightin' her," he said in a thick western accent. Before Gaara could object, the sand retreated like the male demon vessel was made of poisin.

Puella-Chaos chuckled cruely, taking flight and reveling in her freedom.

Now to find something that could actually amuse her...

_(1: Puella is Latin for 'girl'. So she's Girl-Chaos. I dunno, I thought Puella would be cooler. -shrugs-)_

What if Tenten's father(s) were...? By Reform Joms

A spotlight went on. And there on the spotlight stood Tenten.

"Wha'?" She asked in a daze. Then she quickly turned around as she heard a raspy voice.

"Tenten... hu hu... I am...huu huu... your father!" Out from the shadows from the left Tenten stepped Darth Vader, with all his masky, seemingly asthmatic glory.

Tenten initially ignored the dark suit and Evil theme Vader had, and just ogled Vader's shiny light saber, no pun intended.

"Da-!" Tenten happily started, but another voice interrupted the would-have-been happy reunion.

"No. I am his true father!"

From Tenten's other side, out stepped Sephiroth, in all his... somewhat girly and generally badass glory.

Tenten suddenly felt conflicted as she also ogled Sephiroth's six foot-something long sword, no pun intended.  
She swiveled her head from the lightsaber, to the Masamune, then back to the light saber.

Both supposed fathers had started arguing between them who had the more badass legacy and/or weapon.

-Later-

Tenten sobbed in Naruto's chest, "I couldn't decide!" She wailed, "Both of their weapons were SO SHINY!"

Naruto just patted her on her back as he hugged her comfortly, an uncomfortable smile on his face. He was just about to go into a ramen-induced seizure after he went on his 15-hour ramen-a-thon, of which it was met with vehement protest from both The Girl and Kyuubi (Which, for once, they had agreed on something, though simple. But when they were about to make more protest, they realized they had picket signs and making protest chants like , "Heck no, put-down-the-ramen!" But when they realized that said protest was being ignored, they settled down and had a sake-fest of their own. They got so drunk, they couldn't remember anything that night. Tomorrow morning, they would not speak nor look at each other without, mostly Kyuubi, getting bright red blushes. Why is that, both of them wouldn't say.), when Tenten kicked his door down and threw herself in his arms, sobbing about "wheezing black-clad and silver-haired girly-looking daddies with cool weapons".

Personally, Naruto would have just told Tenten to kick both in the sack and take both their weapons, but that wouldn't have solved anything. Nor would it have been productive.

"Prisoners", By Super Hurricane

"We'll never talk!" Donald said, tied up to a large tree along with Goofy. Both of them were stripped of weapons and armor, making them a bit nervous about the guys who ambushed them.

"Hmm...a talking duck and a dog-like humanoid. Probably from those other worlds that the leader was talking about so much." A blue-skinned man with fanged teeth said, sporting a zanbatou just as big as him.

"Silence, Kisame. I'll ask again. Who sent you here?" The person who caught them with their guard down asked, his red eyes piercing through them.

"Technically we came of our own accord, but we're kinda looking for our king. And a keyblader, whatever that is." Goofy answered truthfully, hoping they wouldn't destroy the Gummi ship that Donald parked and camoflauged.

"Considering that you are close to the Village Hidden in the Leaves, that could only mean that the keyblader is the Tailed Beast Container that we are in charge of capturing. And since you know our existence, I will have to dispose of you in the only way I know how." Itachi said, widening both eyes. "Mangekyo Sharingan!"

The area around them turned crimson, as Goofy and Donald found themselves in a sea full of fish. Both of them had somehow acquired mermaid tails as well.

_"The seaweed is always greener  
In somebody else's lake  
You dream about going up there  
But that is a big mistake  
Just look at the world around you  
Right here on the ocean floor  
Such wonderful things surround you  
What more is you lookin' for?_

Under the sea, under the sea  
Darling it's better down where it's wetter  
Take it from me  
Up on the shore they work all day  
Out in the sun they slave away  
While we're devoting full time to floating  
Under the sea, ha ha..."  
  
"72 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds to go..." Itachi said gravely as the two began screaming their heads off listening to the song, but there was no one around to come to their rescue.


	31. No Time to Think

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"  
_  
**"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_Author's Note:__ Once again, I am very sorry for the very long wait. I won't make excuses. I've just had school and burnout from stresss as well as a million other things that go wrong in real life happen. But I'm better now, so please enjoy what you've waited so long for. I won't make any promises regarding the next update, however. I don't want to jinx it. Special thanks to The Fanfiction Forum for all their help.  
_  
- - - - - - - - - - - - -

_Darkness, darkness calling to me… _

Gaara shook at the pleasurable bloodlust flowing through him, the everlasting darkness singing its siren song to pull him under, under…

_Death… Death… Glorious death… _

Within the shell Gaara's pupils glowed yellow, as the white of his eyes turned midnight black. His grin grew even as blood dripped down his arm. The pain fed the darkness and his heart _burned_ in need for others to burn with him.

Outside, the sand spiked and trembled, the grains twisting as the malevolence grew. Sasuke felt as though something was pulling at his chest, drawing him in and as it did he felt _hatred_ well up inside, _sorrow_.

"_That man…"_ He murmured, eyes narrowing as his Sharingan pinwheels spun. _I will kill him… Kill him… KILL HIM! _

"_Foolish little brother…"_

He could do nothing but stand in impotent rage as the vision of his brother appeared before him. _Move! MOVE!_ He commanded his body but it remained frozen.

_MOVE!_

"_REFLECT!"_ Naruto shouted as he slid in front of Sasuke, a scarlet shield flashing into existence to stop the deadly tendril of sand that threatened to skewer his friend. Naruto scowled and pointed the Keyblade at the grotesquely writhing sand.

"_FIRE!" _He roared and launched a blast of flames into the whirling grains. "Sasuke, what the hell is your problem?! MOVE!"

The blonde performed _Kage Bunshin no jutsu_, a dozen clones popping into existence and attacking Gaara from all sides. Naruto glanced over his shoulder and scowled.

"Do you just get a kick out of me saving you or something?!"

_Why the hell is he just standing there?!_

As before the clones were swiftly destroyed by Gaara and Naruto made even more, grabbing Sasuke's shoulder and shaking him.

"Damnit Sasuke this is no time to-!"

An unpleasantly familiar set of popping sounds drew Naruto's attention. He glanced about and groaned at the Heartless now surrounding him.

"Well, that's just... Yeah, great…" Naruto punched Sasuke in the face, making him stumble back. The Uchiha heir stumbled back, eyes no longer glazed. He glared at Naruto.

"Deadlast what the _hell-?!"_

Catching sight of the Heartless now surrounding them and Gaara's continued writhing, he fell silent. Naruto snorted.

"I think the exam's over," he commented. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Not the first time you've fought these things?" He asked, stepping to have his back face Naruto's. Naruto shook his head.

"No..."

"Good, then you won't slow me down _too _much," Sasuke smirked. Naruto rolled his eyes, the Keyblade humming in his hands.

"Shut up and fight, bandage boy."

- - - - - - - - -

Baki knew this invasion was a bad idea from the start. Relying on Sound ninja to work with them, the reliance on these strange shadow demon summons, and using Gaara himself as the spearhead?

He'd always known the Kazekage had never been the same after making the decision to seal Shukakku into his son. He had always known he stood on the thin thread between ruthlessness and all-out insanity. This was the result of that thread finally being broken.

_We can't win… Not when these demons attack us too, and especially not with Gaara… Konoha may be razed to the ground, but with all of Sand's forces here..._

They would accompany Konoha into oblivion. Their _allies…_

Baki moved, leaping down to the arena floor. He kept out of range of the furious battle already erupting, the Uzumaki boy and the Uchiha both attacking Gaara with a variety of jutsu as Heartless began to emerge around Gaara. Baki grimaced, slicing through several of the small demons with a wind blade. He nodded in approval as he saw Temari and Kankuro out of the challenger deck on the arena ground, already waiting for him.

"Temari! Kankuro! Get Gaara out of here now!" Baki ordered. "Quickly!"

"R-Right!" Kankuro responded, moving forward. Temari hesitated only a second before she followed her brother, fan unfurling.

Naruto slashed through two Heartless and ducked under another as it lunged for him, twirling around and banishing it into oblivion. Behind him, Sasuke leapt into the air and shot off several fire burst into the growing crowd of Heartless appearing around Gaara. It was strangely lucky that was the case-If Gaara didn't have to fight off both the Heartless _and_ Naruto and Sasuke, Naruto doubted they'd be able to fight him at all.

"_FIRE!"_ He roared, pumping as much chakra into the spell as he could. The blast shot out and struck the protective sand barrier around Gaara, taking out a few more Heartless in the process but not getting through to his target. The sand struck by the shot was partially glassed, but soon broke apart into sand once more.

"_FIRE!"_ He heard nearby, and glanced just long enough to spot Sasuke releasing the same spell at Gaara. He turned away as the Keyblade warned him of a rear attack, and he slashed through two Heartless in the middle of their tackle.

"How the hell did you learn that, Bastard?!" Naruto shouted, moving through a three-step-combo and dispatching three more Heartless. Sasuke fired off another ineffective spell into Gaara.

"That's my line!" Sasuke shouted back angrily, dodging a tendril of sand.

"No it's mine!" Naruto yelled. _Where did he learn magic?! What did-KAKASHI-SENSEI!_

Both were caught off guard by the blast of wind from Temari swinging her fan, scattering them and the Heartless.

"WOAH!" Naruto shouted, performing a backflip and landing.

"Kankuro, do it!" Temari shouted. Kankuro nodded and threw out his puppet, which split into two pieces and dashed right for Gaara.

"YAAAHHHH!" Gaara screamed as the chakra strings between the pieces wrapped around him, forming a fine mesh web. With great exertion, Kankuro yanked down on his strings and his puppets produced broad wings of white fabric.

"Temari!" Kankuro shouted. Temari complied, again unleashing a massive blast of wind. Caught in the wings, the chakra-enhanced air yanked the roaring Gaara out of the stadium, sailing high above the battlements. He howled in rage even as more Heartless burst out around him, raining down on the unconscious crowd below. Temari and Kankuro leaped after, avoiding the deadly creatures.

"Crap! Get back here!" Naruto shouted, rushing up the arena wall and dashing in the same direction, cutting his way through any Heartless and carefully avoiding the sleeping spectators. Sasuke followed, defeating the Heartless Naruto missed with quick slashes of his sword. They made it to the top and continued on into the forested area near the stadium, following the trail of demonic chakra that seemed to just keep growing.

Kakashi, out of the corner of his eye, managed to spot this. He deftly dispatched an attacking Sand ninja, turning to the genin sitting in the stands.

Sakura and Ino were both wide awake, the falling feathers of the genjutsu having no effect on them.

"Sakura, Ino! I'm giving you an A-Rank mission right now. Get Shikamaru up and go after Naruto and Sasuke!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," Sakura growled. She ducked under a Sand ninja's attack, and held her palm up in front of his chest.

"_FIRE!"_ She bellowed, and the ninja's clothing ignited. His eyes widened and he staggered back as the hot flames began to cover him.

"Ah?! AAAH! AUGGH! AUG-!"

"_THUNDER!"_ Ino shouted, and a bolt of lightening blasted the ninja off his feet and down the stairs. Gai finished him off with a quick combo, immediately turning around to face his next attackers.

"Go! Quickly!" Kakashi ordered. He made hand seals, and slammed his palm into the ground, a poof of smoke signaling the summoning of one of his ninja dogs. "Pakkun here will guide you!"

"We heard you!" Sakura shouted back angrily, as she ran down the arena stairs towards the groundfloor.

"Hey! Wait for me!" The small pug shouted as he chased after her.

Ino lingered, looking back at Chouji. She frowned, and nodded.

"_Thunder!"_ She called out, a weak lightening bolt hitting Chouji. The large genin yelped, the genjutsu thrown off.

"ACK! What-? Who-?!"

"C'mon Chouji, we need to go get Shikamaru!" Ino shouted, rushing for the stairs. Chouji shook his head, and followed as quickly as he could, Kakashi and Gai providing what cover they could.

Shikamaru himself was laying on the ground underneath the waiting deck, snoring softly. Sakura scowled and formed a single handseal.

"_Kai!"_

There was no response. Irritated, Sakura kicked Shikamaru in the ribs.

"OW-OWWW!" Shikamaru grunted, sitting up and glaring at Sakura. "What was _that_ for-?"

"Look, I'll explain on the way, just get your lazy ass in gear!" Sakura barked, grabbing Shikamaru by the shoulder and yanking him along. The lazy genius groaned.

"Great… More trouble…"

Pakkun, the pug Kakashi had summoned, followed closely behind. He chuckled.

"Hey, boy, if you get moving faster, I'll give you a reward."

Sakura and Shikamaru ducked inside the entrance to the arena, as Ino and Chouji dashed in after. Shikamaru raised his eyebrows at the dog.

"And that would be?"

Pakkun lifted one of his paws, not concerned in the least when a Sand ninja's volley of kunai imbedded themselves in the ground nearby.

"I'll let you feel the pads of my feet," the pug said solemnly.

All four genin stared in disbelief at him.

"They are very soft," Pakkun added.

"… Right, let's move it. Do you have Naruto and Sasuke's scents?" Ino asked, instinctively taking command. Pakkun sniffed the air, and nodded.

"Yes."

"Then let's go! Quickly!"

Unseen, Shino Aburame stood just outside the arena walls, back against a tree. He frowned as his four fellow genin took off, before moving to follow.

- - - - - - - -

The hidden tunnels behind the Hokage Monument were meant to be a hiding place for the civilian population during times of trouble. It had been dug out by the power of water-Specifically the water jutsus of the Second Hokage, leaving every stone wall with a spiraling groove like a screw. It was this that had led to the spiral symbol on the back of every Konoha vest, a _naruto_.

Kabuto could not help his small laugh at the irony as he walked at the base of the mountain, Sawada following deftly over broken stone.

"... What?" She asked, a hint of irritation in her voice. Kabuto chuckled behind his mask and shook his head.

_"The spiral that protects shall open the door,_" he murmured. "A very, _very_ old song..." He smirked as he continued, scanning the walls carefully.

Sawada grimaced behind her mask. "Spiral huh?"

"It refers to an even older story, and set of songs created around it..." Kabuto went on, his sharp eyes catching something. Kabuto's smirk shifted by a few degrees up as he ran his fingers over the small carving of a spiral. "A safety lullaby. Back in the days of the Second Hokage, secret passages to bunkers were marked with this symbol," he said, tapping the spiral.

Sawada eyed it carefully. "I see... So this is the entrance to one of these safety tunnels?"

"Old ones... The _very_ oldest, in fact," Kabuto related. He pressed the carving, injecting some of his chakra into it. The symbol glowed, and it slowly began to grow, the sound of shifting stone heard behind the rockface. Finally the light seemed to reach the edges of a door in the stone, and these lines burst sparks of every color, before it shifted and swung out, revealing a pitch-black interior. Kabuto nodded and headed in, Sawada pausing to listen outside.

"You are certain your clone will cast the genjutsu?" She asked.

"Of course, and Orochimaru-sama will be none the wiser," he replied, voice echoing slightly in the darkness ahead. Sawada stepped inside, repressing a shudder at the abrupt change in air pressure. Even with the open door the air just inside felt heavy, charged...

_Magic..._ It was heavy in the air, guiding her steps even though she couldn't see a thing. It was as though the light from outside stopped at the door, and glancing back she was startled to see the entrance a lone beacon in an otherwise formless void.

"Oof!" She cried as she felt herself run into a solid form.

A chuckle from ahead. "Watch your step, _Tifa_."

"Don't call me that," she growled. Kabuto remained silent, and a quick reach ahead of herself confirmed he had resumed moving.

"Interesting... This magical buffer between us and the goal... Did you sense it before?" Kabuto asked conversationally. Sawada snorted.

"If I had, I would have _mentioned_ it," she stated flatly.

"Hmmm... Can you disperse it?"

Sawada frowned, but locked in the particular piece of materia required. "_Dispel!_"

The field seemed to lift, just enough that Tifa could see the walls of the tunnel. It was carved as though dug out by a gigantic screw, and Sawda foudn her fingers drifting to feel the smooth grooves in the rock. It was almost like sculpture.

"I suspect we are not the first ones here," Kabuto stated. "We need to hurry."

They ran through the tunnel, dirt kicked up in their wake. Ahead, in the faint light Sawada made out the faint outline of a large chamber, the threshold of which Kabuto abruptly stopped at. With her superior reflexes Tifa skidded to a halt next to him, her senses picking up the reason for his pause.

"Another barrier..." She murmured, holding up her wrist. "_Dispel!_"

The magic fell apart, the interior of the chamber at last revealed. Sawada stared up, and up, and up, taking in as much of it as she could.

It was _huge_, a round, carved chamber stretching up so high she couldn't see the roof. Like the tunnel this chamber too seemed dug out by a gigantic screw, rifled grooves running up and down the walls. In the center of this massive room stood five round platforms underneath a single, central pillar, all perfectly circular with glowing designs and abstract figures atop them.

Standing on the central pillar, an orange towel over one shoulder, and a raygun in his hands, stood Teuchi Ichiraku.

The old man smiled, almost sadly.

"Yakushi Kabuto! Your father dropped in on my stand every now and then. He said ramen was bad for him, but it was better than smoking."

"He always was a bit of a health nut," Kabuto returned in a silky voice, "always a bit old fashioned in regards to using his medical abilities. What need is there for dieting when you command and control your cells?"

Ichiraku smirked, shaking his head sadly. "He loves you, you know. Always talked about you, his genius son, how proud he was of you-"

"Small words, from a small man," Kabuto replied simply. "A man who never looked further than his own small experience into the unknown. A pitiful waste of talent..."

His eyes narrowed behind his mask and Sawada stepped back, unsure of what to make of this side of Kabuto.

_He has a father? A _proud_ father...?_

"Then let us see where that talent has led you," Ichiraku stated, before firing his weapon.

The bolt of energy lashed out, a loud _boom_ filling the chamber. Kabuto and Sawada dodged, Kabuto taking cover behind one of the platforms, while Sawara held up her arm and summoned her magic.

"_FIRA!"_ She called out, a spear of fire erupting into life from her palm and shooting for Ichiraku with deadly accuracy. Ichiraku whipped out his towel and spun it as fast as he could, the flames parting and flowing around him, leaving him untouched.

"Impressive," Kabuto noted. He adjusted his glasses and smirked.

"Seems this is going to be more interesting than I initially thought…"

- - - - - - - - - -

"_Fūton: Daitoppa!"_

The massive gust of wind was merely to test Sarutobi's defenses, something the Hokage knew very well. He dodged to his left, fingers flashing through handseals.

"_Doton: Doryuu Taiga!"_ The Hokage called out, raising his fingers to his lips and blowing. Summoned earth and water burst from his mouth, the fast-moving mud rushing towards Orochimaru like a river. Orochimaru smirked, merely allowing the mudflow to trap him, pushing him towards the edge of the purple field enclosing the roof.

"_Doton: Doryuudan!"_ Sarutobi called out next, the mud rising up into the form of a dragon. It bellowed, unleashing several projectiles of earth at the Snake Sannin. Already though, the Hokage was moving through handseals, the third and final link in his chain of destruction ready.

"_KATON: KARYUUDAN!"_ He bellowed, fingers once more moving to his lips. Chakra and breath mixed, exploding into a jet of flame that caught up to the earthen projectiles, igniting the volatile chemicals within the earth and culminating into a massive explosion.

_KABOOM!_

"W-Wow!" One of the ANBU outside of the field gasped as the roof shook from the blast. "So this is the power of a Hokage!"

Sarutobi grimaced. He sincerely doubted his old student would be stopped by just that. His instincts proved correct as through the smoke and debris of the chained technique, a massive firebird emerged.

"_Katon: Akumuhou no Jutsu!"_ Orochimaru cried, his construct of flame bearing down on Sarutobi with an ethereal cry. The Sannin leapt high into the air, leering down at his sensei.

"_Fuuton: Teikoumyaku!"_ Sarutobi shouted, holding his hands together before swinging out one arm. The air in front of his fingertips coalesced, before bursting like a bubble into a large, eagle-shaped construct of wind screamed forth, talons extended for the _Akumuhou_. The two techniques met in mid-air, hyper-concentrated air encountering burning flame in a blinding flash.

_BOOM!_

The ANBU and the Sound Four had to cover their eyes, but when the light had passed they were treated to both Snake Sannin and Sandaime Hokage staring eachother down, both having divested their robes. Orochimaru stood in his custom uniform of the Sound, and Sarutobi in his black battle armor.

"What's wrong, sensei? Is this the best welcome you can provide?" Orochimaru taunted, leering across the roof at the calm Sarutobi. "No speech? No threat?"

"I do not make threats, Orochimaru… I make promises. You of all people should know this," the Hokage replied flatly. Orochimaru snickered.

"Ah yes… Vows of honor, promises… The so-called 'will of fire', to _always_ keep your word. How you continue to spew such sentimental nonsense is a mystery to me. 'A shinobi is only a tool, without wants, desires or emotions.' Isn't that what is written in the Konoha textbooks, Sensei? Isn't that what you taught me?"

"I also taught you that 'shinobi who abandon their mission are trash, but shinobi who abandon their comrades are lower than trash,'" Sarutobi replied. "It is because of this you are alive today…"

"Feh. The delusions the mind must entertain at your age, old man," Orochimaru sneered. "A true predator needs no comrade, needs no help."

Sarutobi released a breath of air through his nose.

"You always were stubborn… Always held within you that twisted edge…"

"An edge you ignored, Sensei," Orochimaru taunted. "Do not forget, it was _you_ who spared me, _you_ who allowed me to escape. All thanks to your pitiful sentimentality. Your _loyalty._" He smirked.

"Your _will of fire…"_

"I acted like any father would have," Sarutobi said quietly, but the gravelly voice had steel behind it. "Love for a son… A son I had hopes for…"

"_Father?_ Perhaps, in a way. You have raised the instrument of your destruction, after all," Orochimaru said. Sarutobi grimaced.

"Yes, I have… And it's a mistake that I will rectify today…"

"Really, Old Man?" Orochimaru asked, sounding disturbingly childlike. "Just when I had this new jutsu to show you… I was saving it, for this _very_ occasion, actually…"

"Well then, Orochimaru… Show me this jutsu. If you succeed, perhaps I won't send you back to the Academy," Sarutobi returned with a humorless smile. Orochimaru smirked, and made a long set of handseals. Sarutobi's eyes widened as he recognized the symbols.

"Orochimaru-!"

"_Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei!"_ The Sannin cackled, slamming his hand down into the heavily damaged roof. Energy flowed from his fingertips, portals of arcane energy opening in the tiles. From them emerged two coffins, numbered 1 and 2.

_He's bringing back the Hokage of the past… Raising them from the dead…_

A third began to surface, and Sarutobi quickly threw a volley of shuriken. He flashed through hand seals again.

"_Shuriken: Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_ He called out, and the dozen spinning stars turned into hundreds, pelting the three coffins. The one only partially raised began to sink back into the portal, the number 4 on its front vanishing. Sarutobi grimaced as the first two coffins remained where they were.

_At least I made sure he couldn't raise the Fourth… If that were the case, I would have no chance at all…_

"Aw, a pity… I had hoped to bring them _all_ back. The _irony_ would have been complete," Orochimaru laughed. "But, two will be _more_ than enough…"

"Orochimaru…" Sarutobi growled. "What have you done?"

"Why, I'm just showing my jutsu off, _Sensei,"_ Orochimaru stated. "And you haven't yet seen the best part!"

The doors opened, and two very familiar figures staggered out. Sarutobi's years of experience kept his face from expressing anything other than outrage, rather than the horror and almost overwhelming disgust he now felt.

"Sarutobi…" His eldest brother said. "We have… Been brought back?"

He nodded. "Yes, you have…"

The Niindaime sighed, a gravelly, unhealthy thing. "Then… We are no doubt here to fight you."

"Looks like," Sarutobi said. Orochimaru cackled again.

"What's this? No warm family reunion? A pity… But then, I suppose once you've seen one congregation of prey, you've seen them all." He threw two kunai into the back of the heads of both undead Hokage, the weapons covered in seals and symbols. They sank into the revenants, and as they did, a startling transformation began to take place.

Their eyes glowed bright yellow, as darkness, like thick oil, spread out over their bodies. Their armor remained, but twisted and darkened in color as their skin turned midnight black. Their hands became clawed, and both Hokage straightened up, standing tall. Spikes burst from their shoulders, bubbles of water beginning to orbit the Niindaime while the Shodaime's hair burst into flames, waving back behind him.

The two corpses were transformed into two, incredibly powerful Heartless.

Orochimaru continued laughing. "Well! What do you think, Old Man? Do I pass?"

Sarutobi growled. "Flying colors, my old student…"

- - - - - - -

Tenten had killed before; bandits on a C-Rank mission, felled by her kunai into their throats. It had been quick, painless, almost surreal. She had made the emotional disconnect that ninja were required to, chanting her mantra in her mind.

_My kunai are not weapons, my shuriken are not weapons, they are only tools. I am the weapon… I _am_ the weapon…_

She kept chanting it in her mind, even as she ran through the stadium hallways, barely avoiding Sand and Sound ninjas. She had managed to kill one chuunin, purely by surprise. He had not noticed that she was awake while she crouched down near a pillar, allowing her to dispatch him with a single kunai to his throat.

Since then, she'd just tried to stay out of the way while Leaf jounin and chuunin fought furiously, throwing in a kunai when she felt she could help but otherwise hugging the walls and staying out of sight.

Ducking a patrol, she was so focused on getting to another piece of shelter that she didn't notice the Sand chuunin in front of her.

"_OOF!"_ She cried out, bouncing off the much larger ninja. He turned and smirked at her, hefting up a large knife. Tenten's eyes widened, the _leer_ in the man's expression freezing her.

"Well, aren't you a pretty thing?" He crooned, grabbing her by the front of her shirt. With a grunt she slammed out a kick at his crotch, but it was protected. He laughed uproariously.

"Come now, little one… After this invasion is over, I'll treat you just fine and-!"

"_Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"_ Cried a female voice behind him. The Sand ninja's eyes widened in surprise but he was too slow.

"_Two palms! Four palms! Eight palms! Sixteen palms! Thirty-two palms! Sixty-four palms!"_

Tenten watched in a kind of disconnected fascination as the ninja's body twitched and shook with every blow. The last barrage slammed him into the wall nearby, foaming at the mouth. Tenten turned back to see a white-faced Hyuuga Hinata breathing hard, bloodline limit activated, her deadly hands still held up after striking the final blow.

"A-Are you okay?" She asked, breathing hard. Tenten nodded.

"Thanks," she said. Tenten got up to her feet and looked around. "Where's your father?"

"H-He vanished with Hanabi-chan," Hinata said. Tenten sighed and looked around, various jounin and chuunin on their side dueling with more invaders.

"We've got to get out of here…" She mumbled. Hinata nodded her agreement.

"Y-Yes… I saw N-Naruto-kun and S-Sasuke go after G-Gaara…"

"Gaara?" Tenten asked in shock. Hinata nodded.

"H-He may n-need our help…"

"I'm thinking that a _lot_ of people are going to need our help, Hinata," Tenten pointed out dryly.

"Yeah, but who's gonna help you?" A voice laughed behind them.

"_Doton: Makai Kasui no Jutsu," _shouted the ninja. He slammed his hand down into the hard concrete of the floor, causing numerous spikes to shoot out of the ground towards the two kunoichi. Hinata reacted instinctively, yanking Tenten behind her and calling forth the first spell to come to mind.

"_Reflect!"_ Hinata called out, a translucent, crimson shield of energy flashing into existence and sending the spikes right back into the body of the shocked Sand ninja.

"EEYAAUGH-!" His scream was cut short, turning into a wet gurgle, as he slumped to the ground. Hinata stared at him with very wide eyes, focused intently on the blood now pooling beneath him. Tenten grabbed Hinata's wrist and ran as fast as she could.

"C'mon Hinata! C'MON!"

Another Sand chuunin grinned as the two girls ran right towards his hidden spot. He'd take them both out, tie them up, and keep them hidden. They'd been promised spoils, and he was not going to waste the opportunity to get some…

"Excuse me."

He turned, eyes wide. A tall, fair-faced woman in bizarre clothing, holding an umbrella and wearing a small-brimmed hat, looked at him with a cool expression.

"What the-?!"

_THWACK!_ He slumped against the wall, totally unconscious. The woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly, having not lifted a finger.

"Such a rude man… Drooling at girls without any sense of decency," she huffed. Hinata and Tenten skidded to a halt in front of her, Tenten with her kunai out, and Hinata with her hands charged. The woman shook her head.

"Really now, that's so impolite. Come now, spit spot. Put away those weapons, I'm not here to harm you."

"Just who the heck are you, then? And what do you want?" Tenten demanded, not lowering her weapons. Hinata blushed, and complied immediately. The woman raised her eyebrows, and Tenten's kunai flew out of her hands. The weapons mistress stared dumbfounded at her empty palms.

"What the-?!"

_THWIP! THWIP!_

Both kunoichi turned to look at the far wall. Tenten's kunai were embedded in stone, holding two Sound ninja off the ground by their shirts. They both futilely struggled, before their heads were slammed together as though by invisible hands. Hinata and Tenten slowly turned to stare at the woman, who offered a tight-lipped smile.

"Now that I have your attention… My name is Mary Poppins. I am to be your nanny, Miss Hyuuga. Miss Tsume is free to accompany you if she pleases, so long as she keeps a civil tongue…"

"… Oh… Kay?" Tenten offered. Hinata was speechless, and merely nodded. Mary Poppins nodded, satisfied.

"Good. Now, let us see if we can find Bert in all this dreadful business, shall we?"

"But… But what about Naruto-kun?" Hinata whispered. Mary hummed.

"I believe Mister Uzumaki can take care of himself. Come along now…"

- - - - - - - -

All across the village, the Sand and Sound forces invaded, Leaf's defenders valiantly fighting as hard as they could. Buildings fell as gigantic snake summons smashed them, only to be annihilated by blasts of fire from Vivi or Jiraiya's countering Toad Summons.

This, however, was merely backdrop to Naruto and Sasuke, as they pursued Gaara across the village proper.

"Man… They can move even while carrying that guy," Naruto said, kicking off another tree to the next, then the next. Sasuke, lagging only slightly behind him, nodded.

"They're heading for the monument…"

"The monument? Why?" Naruto asked. Sasuke snorted.

"How should I know?"

Naruto scowled. "Well… I dunno! I was just thinking out loud!"

Sasuke smirked. "Thinking? You?"

"Do I have to bring up the genjutsu door, _again?"_ Naruto asked flatly.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted. Naruto smirked.

_Point for me…_

A large wave of killing intent blasted over their senses as they broke through the trees into a residential area, both landing on a rooftop. The Keyblade again appeared in Naruto's hand, and he nodded.

"This way," he stated, turning and running to the right. Sasuke followed, leaping off the rooftop as Naruto fairly flew into the trees.

_He's here… _Naruto thought, bursting through into a clearing in a local park. Gaara stood in front of a fountain, grinning madly, his eyes glowing yellow. His siblings stood a fair distance away from him, Temari looking pensive, Kankuro glaring at his demon-possessed brother.

"Heheheheh…"

"Gaara," Temari, his sister, said quietly. "Gaara, we need to-"

"SHUT UP!" He roared. "Get out of my way!" Gaara laughed again. "Mother wants their blood… Mother wants their _hearts…_"

More Heartless appeared around him, twitching and jerking about like wind-up toys, seeking out a strong heart. Naruto assumed a fighting stance, eyes narrowed. Sasuke followed, Sharingan eyes spinning.

Temari and Kankuro both backed away, hoping to remain outside of their mad sibling's vision.

"Come… _Come!_ Let me see who you both _really_ are! Let me taste your _blood!_" Gaara screamed, sand lashing out as Heartless followed.

"_REFLECT!" _Naruto shouted, knocking one tendril of sand away as he smoothly stepped out of the way of another. "_FIRE!"_

Sasuke took to the air, back flipping into a tree behind him to avoid Gaara's strike as he flashed through handseals.

"_Katon: Hōsenka no Jutsu!"_ The Uchiha survivor shouted, launching several fiery birds past Gaara's sweeping sand, impacting his armored shell directly. Gaara cackled, waving his hand to slash right through the trunk of the tree Sasuke stood in. Surprised, the Uchiha leaped away, eyes widening as Gaara used this opportunity to throw a Heartless right at him.

_Can't dodge-!_

"YAH!" Naruto shouted, leaping up in front of Sasuke and slashing the Heartless to dust. He called out "_Reflect!"_ again to shield them both from Gaara's next lash, the two Leaf genin landing on the ground and diving for cover behind another thick tree.

"Gah… He's worse than before," Naruto muttered. Sasuke frowned, tapping Naruto's shoulder as Gaara's sand swept out for them again. Both genin jumped to behind another tree as their previous cover went down.

"You've fought him before?" Sasuke asked. Naruto nodded.

"Let's just say... It was rough…"

"Any ideas?" Sasuke asked flatly, before Naruto lifted a foot and kicked Sasuke away. "HEY!"

The reason was evident-Gaara had found their new tree and had slammed a spike of sand two meters across right through the trunk. Naruto had kicked off of Sasuke to get them both out of the way. The blonde landed nearby, and shrugged.

"I've got one…" He held out the Keyblade and focused, even as Gaara's next attack arched for him.

"NARUTO!" Sasuke shouted.

"_HASTE!"_ Naruto shouted, vanishing just as the tendril of sand would have crushed him. Sasuke gawked in disbelief, but only for a second, as Naruto reappeared on the other side of the park clearing, running quickly.

"_SUNA SHURIKEN!"_ Gaara bellowed, firing off several spinning projectiles at Naruto. The blonde vanished again, reappearing kicking off a tree. He landed, running right for Gaara. Gaara shot more shuriken of sand at Naruto, but once more, the blonde vanished, reappearing only a few yards away from Gaara. He swung the Keyblade, slashing through a tentacle of sand, before vanishing once more when Gaara tried to crush him.

_What… How is he…?_ Sasuke thought, watching in disbelief as Naruto continued to appear and disappear around Gaara, dodging his every attack and frustrating his attempts to catch him. _Haste…?_

Sasuke had learned a basic form of _Haste_ from Aerith-It doubled his speed. But Squall had demonstrated that _Haste_ could be used to increase your speed by much, _much_ more. Just how did Naruto learn such a technique?

"RAWR!" Gaara bellowed, raising his hands and motioning his sand using them. This more direct form of control allowed him to increase the speed of his sand. Naruto Uzumaki was too quick, zooming here and there, the Keyblade _calling_ to him, making Mother _furious…_

"YOU WILL _DIE!"_ He roared, as Naruto seemed to speed up to the point he was in several different places at once, all racing around Gaara.

"What's wrong?" Shouted the blonde with a grin. "Can't keep up?"

Gaara may have been in bloodlust, but part of his keen mind remained active. He traced the current pattern of Naruto's movement, and saw a critical flaw he could exploit.

"_SABAKU KYU!"_ The Sand ninja roared. Gaara grinned as his jutsu captured Naruto… Who was still grinning at him. Over a dozen identical grins surrounded him, as every Naruto clone lifted their Keyblades.

"_FIRE!"_ They roared, shooting blasts of flame into his hastily raised barrier of Sand. Sasuke abruptly realized the truth: Naruto had made _Kage Bunshin_ while he was in _Haste,_ to present the _illusion_ that he was moving that fast.

The real Naruto reappeared right above Gaara's head while the Sand ninja swung out his sand to destroy the clones in one blow. The Keybearer swung down for Gaara's head, the Keyblade glowing brightly. The demon container looked up in shock, but it was too late.

"_ZANTETSUKEN!"_ Naruto bellowed, slamming the Keyblade into a shell of sand Gaara hastily erected. The grained barrier burst apart, and Gaara's eyes widened as the Keybearer continued his course, his defenses shattering under the might of his weapon.

"GYAH!" Gaara yelled, the Keyblade striking him in the face and blasting him back, his skin armor broken as he was blown back into the fountain with a great splash. Naruto breathed hard, Keyblade pointed at the fountain. Sasuke rushed up to stand by him, eyes narrowed.

"How badly did you hurt him?" Sasuke asked. The ground began to rumble, and the fountain before them cracked and splintered. Naruto winced.

"Not badly enough," the blonde admitted, as the fountain shattered, the hunched over form of Gaara emerging, sand twisting wildly around him. Half of his body was now covered in molded sand, colored tan with purple lines like veined decorating the skin. Half his face was covered in sand, shaped like the head of some pointy-eared demon.

Gaara laughed, the sound like the creaking of a house in a strong wind.

"HAHAHAAHAHAHA! _HAHAHAAHAHAHAAA! You will feed mother! MY EXISTENCE WILL NOT DISAPPEAR!"_

Temari turned away, deciding to move out of the range of Gaara's rage, when Kankuro tapped her shoulder. She looked at him curiously.

"Others are going to be coming," he said. "We need to make sure they can't get to him…"

Temari nodded, and Kankuro rushed off. But she lingered a bit longer, watching the Keybearer and the Uchiha survivor standing in front of Gaara, weapons at the ready.

"I guess… This is goodbye," she murmured. The Keybearer looked at her, blinking curiously. She blinked back… And then he just smiled at her.

"C'mon Sasuke… Let's kick his ass!" Naruto shouted, as he charged into battle. The Uchiha, shocked, nevertheless followed him in. Temari gaped, a passage of one of her mother's stories coming to mind:

'_So Keybearer and friend charged together, hearts united against the darkness, into the onrushing wave of evil…'_

"… And triumphed," she murmured, before turning and rushing after Kankuro.

- - - - - - - -

_Well, more to come. That I assure you of. Plenty more action in the next chapter, to be followed by the conclusion of the Konoha arc in chapter 32. I want to thank everyone who has reviewed even though this story has been inactive for so many months._

_I've made some changes to previous chapters, again. One involves Sasuke not being aware of being on another world while he's training in Traverse Town. Another is changing out Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, which is owned by MGM, for Herbie, as Herbie is owned by Disney. Feel free to go back and see these changes, and tell me what you think of them in your reviews on this chapter._

_Katon: Akumuhou no Jutsu, and __Fuuton: Teikoumyaku are original jutsus created by Echoside of the Fanfiction Forum. I hope he doesn't mind my using of these.  
_

_And now, some omakes! Remember, feel free to send in omakes that I will put into the story at the end of each chapter. Limit is three per chapter so don't be discouraged if yours doesn't show up immediately. I also ask that you proofread your omakes first. They'll be funnier if people can read them._

By Tobias5: If Naruto Was Summoner 2

They were all defeated. Orochimaru had attacked in force, almost destroying all of Konoha with his legion of snakes, ninja, and Heartless. The only thing between him and total victory was the blonde, whiskered boy who stood valiantly between him and his wounded comrades. The boy turned to the injured Vivi and gave him a thumbs up.

"I know I promised never to d it again, Vivi sensei but I don't see any other way!" Naruto said. Vivi and Ino both paled. (not that you could tell with Vivi.)

"Naruot, no!" Ino screamed as the blonde made the seals and bit his thumb, before slamming his hand on the dirt. The seals spread out before the ground began to rumble. The split open and Naruto fell into the chasm...

..and flew out standing on top of large dragon with huge dark wings and matching skin.

"Behold!" Naruto shouted as Orochimaru turned so pale he was almost transparent. "The ultimate summons, Bahamut, the Dargon God! Bahamut, Mega Flare!"

By mdizzle:

Naruto glared as Orochimaru stood ontop of Manda.

"I got just the jutsu to stop you!! MONGOOSE NO JUTSU!"

In a puff of smoke Naruto henged into a mongoose.

"Kukukuku. Do you actually expect for that to..."

"AGH! A MONGOOSE!" shouted Manda. Manda picked up Orochimaru by his leg and slammed him into the ground numerous amounts of times trying to hit the Naruto mongoose. "DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!"

Manda held Orochimaru in the air as he tried to spot the Naruto mongoose's remains.

"Orochimaru-sama, are you okay?" asked Kabuto.

"I'm in a lot of pain." moaned Orochimaru.

"THERE HE IS AGAIN!" shouted Manda.

"Oh no!" said Orochimaru.

Orochimaru yelp as Manda started slamming him into the ground yet again.

Meanwhile Naruto and Jiraiya were watching the whole thing from a cliff sitting on lawn chairs. Naruto was eating a bag of popcorn enjoying the show.

"You were right Naruto, sending that kage bushin in really was helpful." said Jiraiya.

"Yeah, and entertaining. Popcorn?" offered Naruto.

By The Dog:

Naruto sighed as he walked through town. He hadn't really seen Tenten in the past few

days, and to be honest, he'd been getting kind of worried. But he smiled as he saw Rock

Lee sitting on a park bench, arms crossed over his chest, his right ankle resting on his.

"Fuzzy brows! How are you?" Naruto asked as he jogged up, the green-clad nin looking up

with a bright smile as he said "Fine Naruto-kun! And you?"

"I've been good." Naruto said, and he sat next to Rock Lee as he asked "And have you seen

Tenten around lately?"

"Tenten-chan's been busy with "private training" with some new teachers." Rock Lee

answered, Naruto looking at him as he asked "Do you know anything about this private

training, or at least these new teachers?"

"Unfortunately... no. She's been keeping it pretty secret, but has promised to explain

everything soon." Rock Lee said, Naruto nodding as he asked "So, do you have any clue

about this training?"

"Not much. But I always here the strangest roaring noise whenever she goes off to train."

Rock Lee said, Naruto nodding as he rubbed his chin, deep in thought.

_ELSEWHERE…_

Orochimaru's eyes were filled with fear as he stood alone in the destroyed remains of the

"Village Hidden In The Sound", backing away from the unconscious form of Manda, the great

serpent.

But his eyes weren't on the snake, instead they stared at the massive metal monster with

blue "skin" and the strangest tattoos upon its frame, it's "head" staring down at him.

Seated in the driver's seat of Megas, Tenten cracked her knuckles as she said "Alright you

snake-looking freak, first you attempt to destroy Konoha, then you try to hurt my friend

Naruto, and worst of all, you made me spill my Megaslush! LET'S ROCK!"

Seated in the passenger's seat, the overweight blonde man smiled, flashing the devil horns

as he said "Nice."

Tenten smiled as she said "So, you'll think this will get Naruto to notice me Coop?"

"Trust me, he'll practically ADORE you!" Coop said, and from the backseat Jamie said

"Yeah, because nothing turns on a guy more than a chick with a giant mech."

Kiva merely rolled her eyes as she let out an exasperated sigh. At this rate, they'd NEVER

defeat the Glorph.

"Now, smash that snake-looking freak!" Coop cried, and Tenten let out a proud

"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" before slamming her forehead into the "big red button", and Orochimaru

screamed in fear as the mech attacked...


	32. Need To Be Strong

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

**"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - -

On the outside of the arena, in a patch of bushes and relatively slender trees, a swirling dark aperture opened in the surrounding space. Bursting from this portal came Tsuchi Kin, landing inelegantly on the ground with a thud.

"GAH!"

Kin took deep breaths, eyes wide. She repressed the urge to shudder as she ran her hands down her body, making sure everything was still there. Feeling herself intact, she sighed and shook her head.

"I am never doing that again," she decided, shivering and rubbing her shoulders. Moving through a Darkness portal...

"That four-eyed bastard," she muttered. "He didn't say anything about… About…"  
_  
Infinite darkness, so dark, so empty… Darker than midnight in the deepest cave, and the eyes, so many, many yellow eyes…_

Kin slowly got to her feet, resisting her shivers. She had to get out of the arena, and that had been the fastest way to do it. She had a job to do, and just standing around being horrified wasn't going to get it done.

"Okay… Zaku and Dosu are…" She scanned the skyline, extending her chakra senses. Kin allowed herself a smile-There it was, that strange, cold feeling she had come to associate with summoning the Heartless.

Strange… It's so much bigger than I thought it would be… And not where it was supposed to be, either, Kin thought to herself. She shook her head. They may have changed positions for the invasion. Wars were like that.

This in mind, she set off as fast as she could through the trees, ignoring weaker sources of Heartless activity nearby.

- - - - - - - - -

"Duck!" Naruto shouted, Keyblade commanding him to hit the dirt. Sasuke followed him, Gaara's longer "beast arm" swinging over their heads, scant inches above. Naruto jumped back up and held up the Keyblade.  
_  
"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" _He quickly shouted, Sasuke right beside him and launching off his own Fire spell. A wall of sand shot up to absorb all four shots, Gaara shooting his arm forward once more at them both.

"Jump!"

Naruto leaped to the side, rolling away while Sasuke went into a cartwheel, the massive claws digging up the earth between them. Naruto snapped back up onto his feet and shot off more Fire spells, looking over at Sasuke who had followed suit.

"I don't think this is working!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke snorted.

"What was your first clue?"

Naruto glowered. "Would you shut the hell up and let me think?"

Sasuke opened his mouth.

"_Don't _answer that!" He shouted angrily. Sasuke shook his head.

"Look Deadlast, you distract him, I'll take him out!"

"What? Me?! Why do _I _have to distract him?" Naruto shouted. Sasuke rolled his eyes and quickly dodged out of the way of a sand tendril, rushing back out of Naruto's sight. Naruto grumbled, but quickly formed several clones and had them all point their Keyblades at the approaching Gaara.

_"FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"_ They shouted, bombarding Gaara with blast after blast after blast. Naruto was going for weak and quickly-fired spells, hoping that a cumulative effect would be just as effective as fewer, more powerful spells. Still, with every clone he made that fired off a few shots, Gaara annihilated him in seconds. As Naruto's Keyblade was the only one that enhanced his reflexes, his clones were being taken out faster than he could replace them.

"Any day now, Bastard!" Naruto shouted. Gaara had backed him up to the edge of the trees, and as Naruto blocked two tendrils of sand and dodged another, Gaara lifted up his massive clawed arm and leaped, intending to catch and crush the Keybearer like a praying mantis.

"GOT YOU!"

"GYAH!" Naruto shouted, the Keyblade's warning allowing him to dodge out of the way of Gaara's pounce. Naruto dropped to the ground and rolled away as Gaara succeeded in only demolishing a tree.

With a leer, the monstrosity threw out his arm, which elongated and cleared more than a few trees just behind the blonde Keybearer, who again just barely scrambled out of the way. Naruto gulped as Gaara grinned right at him, launching his claws at him again.

"YIPE!" Naruto cried out, the claws slamming into the ground less than an inch away from him. He stumbled and fell back, rolling back up onto his feet per his training.

The sound of thousands of birds chirping filled the air.

A moment later, Sasuke landed on Gaara's massive limb, spinning his sword about with a dramatic flourish in one hand before slamming the Chidori in his other into the grainy flesh of the arm.

"_THUNDER_!" Sasuke shouted, channeling the full force of the lightening magic through his sword and into Gaara alongside the charge of the Chidori. The Sand ninja stared at Sasuke for a second, before the sand of the arm grabbed the Uchiha survivor's ankles and began dragging him down.

"Wh-What-?!" Sasuke shouted. Naruto cursed and charged his Keyblade, spinning it up and letting it fly.

"_STRIKE RAID!" _The blonde roared, the Keyblade blasting through the sand and sending Sasuke off the arm. With a series of handsprings he escaped another lash of sand, skidding to a halt next to the incredulous Naruto. Sasuke shot him a look.

"What?"

"_That_… Was your _plan_?" Naruto asked. Sasuke glowered.

"… _Yes_."

"… Since when does _sand _conduct _electricity_?" Naruto asked slowly, as though Sasuke were a particularly dimwitted child. Sasuke grunted, glaring at the cackling sand demon.

"Do we really have time to worry about that?" He retorted, slightly short of breath. Naruto rolled his eyes, the Keyblade flashing back into existence in his hand. Gaara ceased his laughter, leering at them as copious amounts of drool leaked from his enlarged jaws.

"Tell me, what is your true purpose? Why do you seek power?" Gaara asked, eyes on Sasuke. The Uchiha survivor grimaced.

"Like it's any business of yours, freak."

Naruto winced at that, something that did not go unnoticed by Sasuke. Gaara chuckled malevolently.

"I see it. You have the eyes, eyes that seek power and would do anything to get it, even kill. Eyes full of hate, like mine. We're the same." He glanced at Naruto, and snorted.

"This one… Uzumaki… He has power, like mine, power you covet… And he withholds it. He is _weak_, unwilling to use his strength, even to help you."

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted angrily. "You don't know a damn thing!"

"I know everything!" Gaara cackled. "The world denies our existence as anything more than weapons. The only way to make sure we exist, to declare our existence is to be weapons. By ending the existences of others, by taking their lives, we are sure of our own existence!" The demonic ninja came closer.

"You have the same eyes as I do… You both do… Full of hatred, full of anger," Gaara continued. "Let it loose. Let out the darkness and rage! Let us test our existence! Let us test ourselves!"

Gaara's glowing eyes set upon Naruto, who tried not to look away. "You… You're just like me…"

His gaze darted to Sasuke, whose glower deepened. "Both! Both have such darkness! But you hold back!" He leered again.

"Let it out… Fight me… Or you'll both DIE!"

Naruto tried to keep calm, but at the back of his mind, he felt a hint of red. Of predatory eagerness.

_No… I'm beating him on my terms… I mean, with Sasuke's help I can kick this guy's ass, right? Right?_

Crimson power pushed against his senses. Naruto narrowed his eyes.

_No… Stay there! I don't NEED YOU!_

He remembered what he'd said to Ino. He remembered the fear on her face. Most of all, he remembered the thrill, the sheer power, the feeling of being able to do _anything_…

_Is he right?_ Naruto asked himself, staring into Gaara's eyes. _Is that what I am? Is that…_

_Is that what my future holds?_

"Yes," Gaara laughed. "YES! There! There, beneath your pitiful denial!" The demon-possessed boy leered. "Let it go! LET IT LOOSE!"

Naruto growled. _I'm not… I don't need HER power! I DON'T!_

In the back of his mind, the Kyuubi smiled. It wouldn't be long now… She would grant the Shukkaku container a swift death for his help…

Somewhat different thoughts were running through Sasuke's head. The Uchiha survivor lifted a hand to the back of his neck, the cursed seal pulsing underneath his palm.

KABOOM! _The boulder had three large holes in it, evidence of Sasuke and Kakashi's power with the Chidori. Kakashi nodded as Sasuke breathed hard, trying to stay on his feet in front of the rockface._

_"Good… I believe your limit is two Chidori per day."_

_"Limit…?" He asked quietly. Kakashi shrugged._

_"The safe limit…" The Jounin looked towards Traverse Town in the distance for a moment, before looking back at Sasuke._

_"I myself can only do four a day when I am in my best condition."_

_"What happens… If I exceed that limit?" Sasuke asked. Kakashi's gaze didn't waver._

_"It will begin to draw chakra directly from your core… Your lifeforce. In a worse case scenario, you would simply bleed all of the life from your soul… And die."_

_"… What about… With the Cursed seal?" Sasuke further asked. Kakashi was stone faced._

_"It might allow you to push your limits, Sasuke, but the risks might be even greater. It only makes your chakra system more efficient-It does not increase the total amount of energy you have."_

_Sasuke nodded, and Kakashi sighed._

_"… I do not discount the possibility that you might find yourself in a situation where you might feel you are forced to use it, though."_

_"And in those situations?" Sasuke asked._

_Kakashi was silent for a time, looking at the rock face._

_"…We ninjas must do evil things for the greater good, at times," the jounin said. "Using evil as a weapon, is never to be undertaken lightly… But it may happen."_

_He looked right into Sasuke's eyes, more serious than Sasuke had ever seen him before._

_"It is at those times… That you must use your best judgment."  
_  
"FIGHT ME!" Gaara roared. "_SUNA SHURIKEN!"_

Another volley of sand shuriken flew from Gaara's arm, Naruto rapidly spinning the Keyblade to deflect the projectiles while Sasuke dodged behind him.

"Naruto… Stand back."

"Huh?" Naruto asked. He risked a glance behind him, and immediately wished he hadn't. His chakra senses screamed, as did the Keyblade, with the emergence of a foul, purple aura around Sasuke.

"What the-Are you nuts?!" Naruto demanded, as Gaara fired off another volley of shuriken. Reacting to the Keyblade's cue he cast Reflect again, bouncing the sand weapons back at Gaara. They were simply caught and absorbed into the arm again, Gaara's grin growing.

"It's the only way," Sasuke stated flatly, as the Cursed Seal spread over his skin.

"Sasuke, that damn thing-!"

"Shut up and cover me!" Sasuke shouted, cursed seal fully engaged, and sword transformed into that bizarre, giant wing blade. Naruto instinctively jumped out of the way as Sasuke charged, briefly letting go of his sword to form handseals, forming a Chidori in one hand. He reached back behind him, and the wingblade flew back to him. He rushed Gaara, Chidori screaming in one hand while his dark sword burned with repressed magical energy. Naruto, shocked, did the only thing he could do.

_"Kage bunshin no jutsu!_" He called out, and with a thought they all pointed their Keyblades at Gaara. "_FIRE_!"

A volley of fire spells shot out over and around Sasuke, bombarding Gaara. The Sand ninja was briefly pushed back as parts of his armor exploded from the shots, but quickly reformed. He charged for Sasuke, ignoring the continuing shots from the Keybearer and his clones. Sasuke grunted and pointed his Dark blade at Gaara.

"_FIRE_!" He roared, launching a much larger, darker blast of fire into Gaara. The Sand ninja held up an arm to shield his body, but Sasuke didn't stop. With as strong a forward swing as he could muster, he cut the arm in half and thrust the Chidori forward.

"_YAAAUUGGHHH_!" Gaara roared through a loud explosion, falling past Sasuke and slamming into the ground, hard. Sasuke skidded to a halt behind Gaara, turning around and panting.

Naruto blinked, and then grinned.

"Hey! You got him! You lucky son of a-!"

"Ohhh… Ohhh, the _pain_," moaned Gaara, slowly getting back to his feet. His claws and armored skin had been crushed, fragments scattered all over the field. But as he raised his head, the armor reformed, covering all of Gaara's upper body. His face bore a mask of demonic hatred, teeth gleaming in the sun, pointed ears twitching.

"Heheheheh… _HAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA_!"

Sasuke gaped in disbelief, and then cringed.

"Ungh!"

He felt the cursed seal burn all over his skin, his chakra coils fighting against their influence. He turned and staggered away as quickly as he could, gripping his left shoulder. Gaara turned and grinned over his shoulder.

"Heheheheh… What's wrong, Uchiha? Too scared to face me? You've let go… _FIGHT ME_!" He bellowed.

_HASTE_! Naruto cast silently, vanishing. He dropped out of the spell right over Gaara's head, kicking off the hard sand before re-accelerating. He dropped out of it right by Sasuke, skidding to a halt nearby.

"Sasuke! Sasuke, what's-?"

"IDIOT!" Sasuke shouted in warning just before the Keyblade screamed in his mind. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm and jumped out of range of Gaara's sand shuriken, both genin landing in a heap on a tree branch. Sasuke groaned as Naruto shoved him off of him.

"It's no picnic for me either," the blonde snorted. Sasuke glared up at him through the haze of pain. He felt almost as though he might be suffering a heart attack.

"Idiot…"

"Shut up," Naruto shot back. He frowned down at Gaara, taking his time as he stalked towards them. "It's time to call in some back-up…"

- - - - - - - -

Sawada cartwheeled out of the way of several blasts from Ichiraku's gun, returning his fire with her own.

"_FIRA_!" She called out, another massive burst of flames rocketing out for the old man. He dodged haphazardly, almost sliding off the platform he stood on, before firing another volley of shots at the fake-ANBU.

Sawada cursed from the pillar that gave her cover, looking around for Kabuto. The medic had moved to the other side of the cook, stealthily getting closer and closer. Sawada growled-She hated being used as bait, but at this point she had little alternative. She swung out from behind her cover, the water vapor around her forearm condensing into fog as her magic was called forth once more.

_BLIZZARA_! She cast, the super-cold blast rocketing out for Ichiraku. He snapped out his orange towel, the fabric taking the shape of a round shield and hardening. With a grunt of exertion, the middle-aged man held back the shot, his towel covered in thick ice.

Kabuto seized his opportunity and rushed forward, chakra scalpels at the ready. He swung for Teuchi's ankle, managing to nick the nerves within.

"AUGH!" Teuchi cried out, his gun instantly on Kabuto and firing. The treacherous medic's wide eyes revealed his shock at the speed of this move, and he paid for it by taking the beam right in his stomach, falling back onto a lower platform.

"Kabuto!" Sawada shouted, gritting her teeth. Without him the mission would fail, loathe as she was to admit it. She targeted the platform the wounded Teuchi now hobbled on.

"_Blizzara_!" She called out, the ancient stone gaining a covering of slick, cold ice.

"GAH!" Teuchi called out, losing his balance on his good leg and falling down hard onto the platform with a thud. He groaned, focusing on ignoring the pain, and rolled to evade another blast of magic, this time fire. Now on the lower platform, Ichiraku gritted his teeth and brought his ray gun up, firing several shots at Sawada as she ran for Kabuto.

_TSEW! TSEW! TSEW!_

"GYAH!" She cried out as one blast hit her shoulder, the wound instantly cauterized but nevertheless hurting like hell. Sawada dove the last few meters, grabbing Kabuto and tumbling them both to a lower platform for cover as Ichiraku got up, continuing to fire his weapon at them.

"Ugh... I didn't know... You cared," Kabuto managed, smirking up at her. Sawada punched him in the gut, making him wince.

"Shut up, idiot," she growled, quickily shooting off a Thundara spell at Ichiraku. The chef ducked, shooting back several rounds.

"Exactly why did you not see fit to tell me about _this guy_?" Sawada snarled, an energy blast nearly taking off her head. Kabuto shrugged, quickly and efficiently healing his internal injuries. The burn scar the energy weapon had left could be dealt with another time-It was just skin, after all.

Even so, Kabuto spared a few precious seconds in deactivating the nerves around his stomach so he could focus.

"I had thought that he would be more concerned with his daughter," Kabuto said, almost casually. Sawada snorted.

"He apparently has other priorities... Okay, I'll clear him off with a Thundaga, you disable him."

"A Thundaga? Gutsy move. Especially considering that it could bring the entire chamber down around our ears," Kabuto commented. Sawada snorted, fully charging her materia.

"Guess we'll find out," she stated flatly. "Ready?"

"Ready."

"_THUNDAGA_!" She bellowed, the entire chamber going dark. Static electricity built up in the air around Teuchi, who looked up with a grimace.

"Aw, shi-"

_CRACKABOOM_! The chamber shook, the air stank with the scent of ozone, and Teuchi Ichiraku was blasted off the platform to the floor below, slamming into one of the pillars ringing the artifact. The platforms, in response to the enormous amount of magic discharged within, began to light up, arcane symbols glowing in the gloomy chamber. Sawada blinked, and looked over at Kabuto.

The medic ninja smiled eerily, getting to his feet.

"Well, this day is just full of challenges, isn't it?"

"What did I just do?" Sawada asked angrily. Kabuto shrugged, wobbling a bit. It had taken a lot of chakra to heal his internal injuries.

"You activated the keyhole's defenses... A little too early, I might add."

"Which means?"

"Which means," Kabuto stated, wrapping an arm around Sawada's shoulders for support, "that if you don't get me to the top platform to do my work, and I don't finish in the next... Hmm... Twenty, maybe thirty minutes, we'll both die. Horribly."

"Oh good, I thought it was something _bad_," Sawada stated sarcastically, hefting the medic up and carrying him to the top platform. Unceremoniously she dropped him, peering over to check on Ichiraku.

The old man, blackened and burned, was still alive, and even now crawling towards his towel, with wheezing, rattling breaths. Guilt squirmed in Sawada's chest, but she put it aside. She had a mission to do.

Leaping down, she kicked the towel out of his reach. To her surprise, when he looked up at her, his face held no anger or hatred-Just a sad smile.

"You don't... have to do this," he said quietly. "You don't have to... Not again..."

She swallowed, hard, and clenched her fists. She was glad for the mask she wore, hiding the tears in her eyes.

"Yes," she whispered. "Yes... I do..."

With that she punched him hard, knocking him out, and ran back up to the platform. Kabuto was drawing a seal array of some kind, using special, midnight black ink for his work that smelled of ash and decay.

Like a funeral pyre, she thought. Kabuto glanced up at her for only a second, expression unreadable beneath that damnable smile, but she thought she saw a glint of... Excitement, of eagerness.

"Was it like this... For your first time?" He asked in a conversational tone. Sawada felt sick, and looked away.

"No..."

Kabuto chuckled. "I suppose that's for the best then... No need for more nostalgia than necessary."

Sawada clenched her jaw, saying nothing.

- - - - - - - -

Pakkun sniffed the air as Team 10 and Sakura continued to make their way through Konoha. The summoned dog had led them into Training Field 21, a large wooded area with a few mockups of small villages.

"Hey, you guys. Increase your speed."

"What, did you find Naruto and Sasuke?" Asked Ino.

"No. I'm sensing two platoons after us. Definitely not friendly."

"All after us?" Sakura asked, unable to help her small grin. Everyone looked at her at this.

Sakura stopped, and the rest of the group stopped with her. The pink-haired girl cracked her knuckles.

"We'll take care of this."

Ino blinked. "I'm sorry, for a second I thought I heard you wanted to commit suicide. I know you didn't just say that."

Sakura rolled her eyes and huffed. "Look, it's not as hopeless as it seems."

"What do you mean it's not as hopeless as it seems?" Shikamaru asked flatly. "Our current forces consist of two emotionally unstable girls, Chouji, a dog, and myself, a lazy coward."

Sakura grinned eerily, making both Chouji and Shikamaru flinch as Ino scowled, her eyes glowing with repressed magical energy.

"Who the hell are you calling emotionally unstable you pineappled headed-!"

"Shut up, Ino-Pig," Sakura stated, still grinning. Her gaze locked onto Shikamaru, and the lazy genin couldn't help the shiver of fear that ran down his spine.

"Naruto and Sasuke still need help," she stated. She leaped to Shikamaru's branch and grabbed his shoulder. "Lazy Ass and I can handle those troops."

"WHAT?!" Ino shouted. "Are you nuts?! Even the four of us couldn't handle them!"

"Look, I have a plan. You and Chouji go and support Naruto!" Sakura glared at them both, her killing intent rising noticeably. Chouji shivered, while Ino managed to hold back against the power of Sakura's aura.

_Just what the hell has happened to you Sakura? Why do I feel this sense of dread coming from you? _Ino thought.

_… And why does part of me think you have a chance?_

"They're closing in, fast," Pakkun warned. "If you're going to do something, do it now!"

"Trust me, Ino-Pig. Shikamaru and I can handle this," Sakura said.

"We can?" Shikamaru asked in disbelief. Sakura gripped his shoulder more tightly, and he looked over at her, seeing the glint in her eyes.

"Just go already!" Sakura barked. "Naruto and Sasuke need you more than we do!" She looked into Ino's eyes, and the Black Mage couldn't help but sense that Sakura knew just what they were up against.

"… Chouji… Let's go," Ino said quietly. Chouji blinked and looked over at his best friend. Shikamaru sighed.

"You've got a better chance with her anyway, Chouji…"

"… All right," Chouji said with a nod. "But we're coming back for you." He gave his best friend a smile. "I promise."

"Yeah… Me too," Ino said quietly. She stared hard into Sakura's eyes.

"Don't die," she said flatly. Sakura just grinned, and yanked Shikamaru with her as she leaped quickly through the trees, the shadow user soon following her under his own power. Ino sighed.

"C'mon, we must hurry!" Pakkun urged. Chouji nodded.

"Ino?"

"Let's go," she said, and as one the two remaining members of Team 10 and Pakkun took off for the increasingly more powerful chakra signatures nearer the Hokage monument.

- - - - - - - -

The two squads had converged together. The lead chuunin smirked. The trail of the four brats they'd been assigned to pursue, along with their dog, had led them to this spot.

"Sir! Ahead!" One of his troops called. The leader saw it-The tracks stopped on the trees, descending onto the ground below. The chuunin lead his troops down, landing silently nearly on top of the trail. The rest of the Oto ninja landed behind him, fanned out in a defensive formation. The chuunin knelt down and examined the tracks, pushing his sunglasses up slightly to better analyze them.

"Their foot prints are irregular... Anxiety is probably increasing their fatigue."

"Then they know we're after them," one of his troops stated. The chuunin nodded, and stood up.

"If we increase our speed, we can probably-Hmm?"

The chuunin found himself unable to move. He could not turn his head to check on the status of the rest of his troops, but from the startled gasps he knew they had been caught as well. His vision was able to trace a small, black shadow, as though cast by a rope, stretching from behind a nearby tree.

A young boy slowly stepped out from behind the tree, his Konoha forehead protector wrapped around his bicep making his identity clear.

A Nara! A Shadow user! The chuunin thought.

Shikamaru smirked in front of him.

"Sorry about that... It seems you fell for-"

"_FIRA_!" Bellowed Sakura's voice, and a split second later the platoon of ninja exploded into flames. Shikamaru gaped, barely able to disconnect his shadow in order to not feel the heat of the flames.

Sakura leaped down from her hiding place in the trees, a broad grin on her face as her hair seemed to glow blood red in the midday sun. As the Oto ninja continued to scream, she casually walked up to the chuunin, burning alive and shrieking in agony, before casually slashing his throat and yanking off his sunglasses. She slammed a powerful kick into the Oto ninja's chest to crash into the rest of his burning, dying troops, and turned around to look at Shikamaru with a broad smile, pulling the sunglasses on over her eyes.

"So... How do I look?" Sakura asked with a saucy smirk at Shikamaru. The shadow user continued to stare, jaw nearly to the ground, eyes wide.

"... G-Geez, Sakura," he managed to get out. Sakura grinned and walked up to Shikamaru, ignoring the continuing cries of the Oto ninja behind her. She leaned her face close to Shikamaru's face, the shadow user blushing despite his fear and horror.

"Aw... You're blushing," Sakura purred. "It's so cute..." She lifted a hand to his cheek, caressing it. Shikamaru gulped, finding himself unable to look away from Sakura's bewitching eyes as she peered at him over her new glasses.

"Oh, hang on," Sakura said, grabbing him around the waist. "_HASTE_!"

Sakura leaped with Shikamaru, just barely avoiding a powerful, focused air blast. Shikamaru's blush grew as Sakura pressed her body against him, and he began to wonder what the hell was wrong with him-Focusing so much on a girl in a combat situation.

New problem, he cleared his head, as Sakura let him go and turned to grin brazenly at their new opponents. Shikamaru instantly recognized them-Zaku and Dosu, the Oto Ninja who had attacked Team 7 and 10 in the Forest of Death.

Zaku, however, had suffered such severe injuries that both of his arms were now fully mechanical, held out in front of him while small devices glowing with chara whirred on his now artificial shoulders. He snorted as he looked upon them, Dosu at his side with a much larger, steel melody arm.

"Shit... Fast," Zaku growled.

"I see we're not the only ones to have gotten some upgrades," Dosu observed. Sakura's grin grew, and she chuckled darkly.

"Oh yeah... This is going to be _fun_..."

Sakura cracked her knuckles in front of the two Oto genin, chuckling again. Shikamaru discretely stepped back behind her. Naturally, he'd be there to support Sakura if she needed any help, but the sheer aura of menace she was projecting just made him think it was unlikely she would.

Still, better to have cover when dealing with these guys than not.

"Aww... Sasuke bwoke your wittle arms, huh?" Sakura taunted Zaku, smirking over her new shades. The Oto genin smirked back.

"Just let me get new ones, brat," he stated flatly. "Automail. Your little tricks won't work on this stuff!"

"Oh really?" Sakura asked, walking slowly towards the two Oto ninja. "I think it's _pathetic_."

"What?!" Zaku snarled. Dosu frowned behind his mask. The pink-haired girl was definitely different from the last time they'd fought her. Her killing intent touched their senses, far stronger than before. He adjusted the settings on his automail melody arm as Sakura continued to walk towards them, seemingly without a care in the world.

"Honestly... You lost to the Uchiha Golden Boy. When he could barely control that Cursed Seal of his."

"Sakura," Shikamaru tried warningly. Sakura spared a wink over her shoulder at him and looked back at the Oto ninja.

"Now don't get me wrong, he's not bad... But looking back, he's wasn't as big a threat as he should have been to a big, strong Sound nin like you," she continued, grin widening. Zaku grit his teeth.

"Zaku," Dosu said quietly, but Zaku ignored him.

"He caught us off guard, that's all!"

Sakura shook her head.

"'He caught us off guard, that's all!' Boo hoo, hoo, hoo!" She taunted in a high-pitched voice. Zaku snarled, raising his right arm.

"Don't you dare mock me, you bitch!"

"What are you going to do? Try to hit me with those pieces of scrap metal Orochimaru snapped onto you? Good luck, hahahahaha!" Sakura laughed.

"_SHUT UP_!" Zaku roared, firing a blast of hyper-compressed soundwaves. Sakura easily evaded the shot, cartwheeling to the side. Zaku fired again, and Sakura merely spun around this blast as well. She laughed mockingly.

"Doesn't seem the extra metal's improved your aim any!"

"SCREW YOU!" Zaku roared, firing two shots at once. Again, Sakura dodged, leaping high into the air between both shots and throwing a volley of kunai at the Oto ninja. Zaku dodged while Dosu leaped into the air, aiming his improved Melody arm at Sakura as she twisted in the air.

"I don't even have to hit you to hurt you!" He shouted, projecting a powerful sound wave at Sakura. The girl raised her arm, a bracelet she wore glowing red for a second.

"_REFLECT_!" She called out, a glowing crimson shield appearing in front of her. Dosu grunted and held up his arm, absorbing the sound waves but failing to block the spinning kick Sakura delivered to his gut.

"UFF!" He grunted, falling back and slamming into the ground. She's stronger-!

"HOLD STILL YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Zaku roared, launching several sound blasts in quick succession. Dosu barely moved out of the way of his shots, Sakura still evading while laughing merrily.

"Oh! Close! Closer-NO! Almost!" She cackled as she landed in a tree. Zaku shot out the trunk from underneath her, and she leaped into the air, gauntlet glowing once more.

_THUNDER_! Sakura thought in her mind, and a powerful bolt of electricity shot down and struck Zaku's arms. He was blown back into the trunk of a tree, shaking violently from the effects of the shock. Sakura landed in front of him and gave him a mocking look of concern.

"Awww... Did poor baby Zaku forget that metal conducts electricity?" She cooed in baby talk. Before he could react she was on him, grinning widely as she grabbed one of his arms and slammed her foot into his ribs. He grunted, and his eyes widened.

"W-What the hell are you doing?!"

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Dosu shouted, and Sakura turned to look over her shoulder as a few dozen Heartless appeared. Instead of looking concerned, her grin just widened.

"Excuse me, I'm going to need this," she stated to Zaku, before yanking on his arm with all of her strength.

"N-NO! NOOOOO-!" Zaku screamed, but with a final grunt Sakura ripped his automail arm clean out of his socket. Zaku continued to scream in pain, as Sakura used his arm as a bat, smashing her way through the hordes of Heartless on her way to Dosu. The masked genin's visible eye widened and he quickly summoned more Heartless, but he had expended much of his energy on pulling up the first waves of the beasts for the invasion forces.

Beset on all sides, Sakura held up her arm and again summoned the elements to her aid.

"_THUNDER_!" She roared. Unlike before, the lightening blasts were scattered all around Sakura rather than focused on a single target, and half the Heartless were eliminated, turned to dust. Sakura simply used her new weapon to bash through the rest, kicking one up and batting it into Dosu's face.

"ARGH!" He cried as the tiny demon began clawing at his chest, too tempted by the nearby heart to care about it's summoner's wishes. Sakura slammed it into dust, the blow also sending Dosu crashing into a felled tree with a hard thud. The pink-haired girl laughed in triumph, and turned her gaze back on the whimpering Zaku.

"Now... For you," she purred in a chilling voice, stalking towards him with his own automail arm swinging in her powerful grip. Zaku tried to ignore the agony of his lost limb, in order to raise up his other arm, to unleash a killing blast.

"DIE!" He yelled, firing off a sonic burst. Sakura dodged easily, and ran up to him, smacking him hard across the face with his arm.

"ARGH!"

"Stop hitting yourself!" Sakura cackled, as she whacked Zaku in the face with his arm again. "Stop hitting yourself!"

"N-No! You crazy bit-AUGH!" Zaku screamed again as Sakura hit him across the chest. Breathing hard through his mouth, his broken nose pouring blood down his lips, he looked up in growing fear as Sakura's smile grew more predatory.

"Now, if you were pretty much anyone else... I'd be happy to give you the chance to leave with your life. Hell, I might be tempted to give you... A hand!" She laughed at her joke as she swung his arm around. Her eyes narrowed and her hair seemed to turn a darker color, grin truly menacing now.

"But I'm thinking that you really, really just need to die."

"Wh-What?!" Zaku managed. "GAAGH!"

Sakura punched him in the jaw, dislodging a number of his teeth. Sakura's eyes glowed slightly as she raised the arm over her head, ready to deliver a fatal blow to Zaku's head. The Sound genin's eyes were filled with fear.

"N-No! P-Please!" He managed to get out. "D-Don't! I-I'll do anything! Have mercy!"

Sakura laughed mockingly. "Mercy? Were you going to give me mercy? My team mercy? No, I don't think so."

"Sakura... Stop it."

She turned to look to her right, at a stone faced Shikamaru. She smiled brightly.

"Shika-kun! You want a few whacks at him? He did attack your team too..."

"Sakura, I said stop it," Shikamaru stated flatly. He used the Shadow Bind jutsu to trap her shadow, freezing her in her tracks. Sakura's eyes narrowed, seemingly unconcerned at his hold. She probably knew how low he was on chakra at the moment. If she attacked him... He might not be able to stop her.

"This is war, Shikamaru. He's invading our home."

"You've already beaten him, Sakura. We're ninja, not _murderers_," Shikamaru said.

"Pl-Please... No more... I-I give-ULP!" Zaku tried.

Sakura kicked him in the ribs with a snarl.

"SHUT UP! I don't care! I can snuff his life out with ease now, just like he was going to do to me! To Naruto! To Sasuke! While we were _helpless_!"

"What's the point of fighting them if we're no better!?" Shikamaru argued. "Either you kill him in battle... Or you take him prisoner. You do not beat him to death when he's already surrendered." Shikamaru sighed.

"Besides... We have to help Naruto, Sasuke... The others..."

Sakura shuddered, breathing hard as she closed her eyes. Her red hair returned to pink, and she breathed hard. Shikamaru was pleased to see that the strange glow in her pupils was gone as she reopened them.

"... R-Right..." She took deep breaths, slumping a bit against his jutsu. Cautiously, Shikamaru released it.

Her killing intent faded, the dread Shikamaru had been feeling fading with it. She made no other movement, just staring at the whimpering Zaku at her feet, her expression almost confused.

"We need to go..." He prodded quietly. Sakura nodded, her expression once more focused.

"Yeah," she said. With a last snort of disdain she tossed Zaku's arm to the ground, and turned to take off into the trees, Shikamaru right behind her.

Neither noticed the figure in black and the ANBU mask as he descended from the trees, strolling into the clearing. Dosu groaned and struggled to sit up, the figure looking between them.

"I'd like to know," the figure began, "just what you two were thinking."

"It... She..." Zaku tried, wheezing hard. A look from the figure silenced him. With a weary sigh, the ANBU removed his mask, revealing Kabuto's face. He smirked as he looked between his two subordinates.

"You were told to continue supporting the invasion... Not chase after Sakura-san," he stated. Dosu groaned.

"We... We were told to go after Uzumaki... And the Uchiha... We were ordered by Orochimaru-sama..." The masked boy said.

"And you showed great courage and initiative in doing it," Kabuto said dryly. He held up a hand, and summoned a flock of Heartless. "I will be sure to tell Orochimaru-sama of your sacrifice... How you lost control of your new abilities..."

Zaku's eyes widened. "B-But you...!"

Kabuto chuckled. "I am supposed to be at the stadium, managing the genjutsu? I am. I am also here. You see... As long as I maintain a link to my Kage Bunshin, it is as though they have hearts. And with my heart..." His smirk grew as the sunlight glinted off his glasses menacingly. The Heartless scurried over towards the two genin, both suddenly realizing the truth.

"Y-You... Don't...!" Zaku tried. Kabuto shrugged.

"Do not fear... You will continue to serve well... You are about to become free of your broken bodies, free of pain, free of suffering... An eternity in the abyss." Kabuto chuckled as the Heartless began to climb onto both Dosu and Zaku, swarming like ants. Both genin began to scream as Kabuto observed with a smile.

"It's very interesting to see the process up close... Wouldn't you agree, Kin-san?"

The branches in a nearby tree rustled. Kabuto turned and smirked right at it, as a horrified Tsuchi Kin watched her teammates be consumed by the dark monsters.

"Would you care to experience it... For yourself?"

The trees rustled again as Kin fled, the girl still hearing Kabuto's mocking laughter as she tree-hopped as fast as she possibly could. She didn't know where to go. She didn't care.

She wouldn't let them take her, she _wouldn't_!

- - - - - - - - -

_Happy Birthday, Naruto! Hope you don't mind this short chapter, but I decided the hell with it-The end of the world will take as many chapters as it needs to._

_I know, I know, you guys want to get world hopping. So do I. But I can't just half-ass it. You deserve better than that._

_Trust me though, we are nearly there._

_As usual, please review, tell me what you think, and send in omakes. Thank you!_

_The omakes in this chapter are all written by me, but that doesn't mean yours won't get in. Some of them are just better suited to chapters where the specific characters involved are actually in.  
_  
Sakura Meets Edna Mode, by Andrew J. Talon

"WHAT?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN I LOOK LIKE 'HENTAI BARMAID?!'" Sakura roared at the tiny superhero fashion designer. Edna Mode sniffed and pushed her glasses up her nose.

"Dahling, trust me... That get up just screams 'rip me off so I can spread my legs for your tentacles, big boy...'" She smirked.

"Of course, if that's your particular kink..."

"ARGGHHHH!"

Elsewhere, Sawada Toshiko, aka Tifa Lockheart, sneezed and felt as though she'd been insulted.

Key Through the Heart!Orochimaru and Kabuto learn about their canon counterparts, by Andrew J. Talon:

"So... My counterpart is just after Sasuke-kun for a new body and his perverted pleasures, while your counterpart is only a double agent?" Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. Kabuto nodded.

"And he has no motivation other than learning all the jutsu in the world."

Orochimaru snorted. "That's all? Ultimate knowledge and underaged boys? He's nothing like me at all!"

Maleficent, observing through her scrying pool, tried very hard not to laugh and failed miserably.

Rock Lee learns Squirrel from Krunk, by Andrew J. Talon:

"Squeakity squeak, squeak squeak?" Lee inquired of his squirrel friend. The squirrel squeaked back, and Lee nodded before turning to Krunk.

"He says... His nuts are buried in wood?"

Krunk nodded, pleased. "Yes, good! Though you need to mind your accent. Still sounds too rural."

"Yes sensei!"


	33. Turn Over

_**llIVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

"_Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

"**Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart

_A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - -

Naruto finished the handseals, and slammed his hand down onto the tree branch underneath him.

"_KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU_!" He cried. A large cloud of smoke poofed into being around the two Konoha genin, obscuring them. Gaara paused, sensing the chakra release and wondering what his prey had brought forth now. His insane grin widened-He hoped it was something good, something powerful for him to destroy.

The Uchiha's darkness had been brought forth, and had been found wanting. Now, the only entertainment to be had was from the blonde. The demon within him… He'd been caught off guard before. That had only happened once, against the boy in the green spandex.

**"Kill them… Kill them all**," crooned his mother within him. **"Put our hands in his blood…!"**

The smoke finally cleared, revealing a triumphant Naruto… Whose expression promptly fell when he saw just what he'd summoned.

"Hey! You _again_? Where's the Hyuuga hottie?" Gamakichi demanded. "You've got some nerve calling me here, again, without her around!"

"You know what?! I really, _really _hate you goddamned toads, you know that?! I really do!" Naruto yelled.

"Hey! Don't go dissing toads! It's not like any other creature would want to be summoned by your stupid ass anyway!" Gamakichi retorted. Naruto grabbed the little toad by the back of his vest and lifted him up, making them see eye to eye, literally if not philosophically. The toad gulped at the fury in the boy's eyes.

"Okay, swamp breath, you want to know _why _I summoned you?" He turned Gamakichi to face the leering Gaara. "Because I need help to fight that guy."

"Woah! Are you kidding?! I'm a lover, not a fighter!" Gamakichi protested. Naruto turned the toad back to face him.

"No, you're an annoying pervert! Now look! Why the hell did I get you when I was trying to get Gamabunta?!" Naruto snarled. Gamakichi held out his front flippers in an approximation of a shrug.

"Well, er, Pop said he had some things to do-"

"THINGS TO DO?! KONOHA'S BEING FREAKING INVADED AND HE'S GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO?!" Naruto bellowed.

"How's he supposed to know, genius?!" Gamakichi demanded. "He's not all knowing! Besides, maybe if you weren't so weak, you wouldn't be in this mess?"

"Weak?! WEAK?!" Naruto snarled.

"Hahahahahaha…" Gaara's ominous laughter made all three turn to look at him. The Suna ninja leered at them.

"This is the extent of your power, Uzumaki Naruto?" He taunted. "This is the extent of your resolve? Hahahahaahaha!"

"Woah… Funky guy," Gamakichi observed.

Gaara cackled. _"SUNA SHURIKEN!"_

"Goddamnit!" Naruto shouted, yanking away both Sasuke and a wailing Gamakichi from the onslaught of grain projectiles. They all crashed to the ground in a heap, the toad landing on Naruto's head.

"Guh… See what I mean? Weak!" Gamakichi snorted. Naruto slowly reached up, plucked Gamakichi off his head, and got up. He turned to Gaara and reared back, the toad's eyes widening.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" Gamakichi demanded.

"Well gee, if I'm so weak, maybe _you _should do the fighting, huh?!" Naruto growled. "I bet you could at least make for a decent thing to _throw_ at him-!"

"Okay! Okay! I take it back! I take it back!" Gamakichi wailed. Naruto barely had time to smirk before he was forced to dodge Gaara's next volley of sand shuriken. Hiding behind a particularly thick tree that Sasuke had found refuge behind, both boys were chilled by Gaara's chilling laughter.

"I grow bored of this, Uzumaki Naruto!" The demon container called. "You are not entertaining! I may have been wrong… Maybe you are too weak to call upon your true strength!"

Naruto gritted his teeth and tensed up. Sasuke grimaced.

The cursed seal was demanding Sasuke throw himself back into battle, unleash it's full fury, but the containing seal and Sasuke's own will fought savagely against it. Instinct would only lead to destruction, no matter how invincible he might feel with the seal's power.

"You called on your full power before… When I had your friends. When I was _so close _to tasting their blood," Gaara continued. "You had to call upon it then…" He laughed again. "And I can sense them! Feel them coming here!" His grin widened as the sand armor around him quivered, the demon within almost giddy with anticipation. Blood and pain… Such pain the deaths of those close to his prey caused… Heartless erupted around him and darted about shakily, seeking hearts to consume.

"Perhaps I will simply kill them… Perhaps I will see if this brings out your power. Power that I will crush, as you all die…"

"Naruto, don't," Sasuke managed, holding back a grunt of pain. "He's just… Trying to provoke you-!"

"I know," Naruto said quietly, eyes turning red. "It's _working…_"

- - - - - - - - -

Hinata froze, eyes widening. A flash of something washed over her senses... Something familiar.

"Hinata!" Tenten shoved the girl out of the way of a volley of shuriken. With a dismissive look, Mary Poppins sent the offending ninja toppling out of the tree he had been standing in and plummeting to his death.

"What? What is it?" Tenten asked.

"Whatever it was, it can wait," Mary said primly. She looked at her charges with raised brows. "We must hurry."

"But... But it's Naruto!" Hinata protested. "I-I felt him... F-Felt the Kyuubi...!"

"You cannot aid him now," Mary said sternly.

"B-But he's scared! Scared of-!" Hinata protested, and the nanny cut her off.

"Scared of losing everything he loves. How will putting yourself in danger before you can defend yourself going to help him fight?"

"Kyuubi? Huh?" Tenten asked. "Look, Hinata, I don't know what you're on about, but if Naruto's in trouble we need to help him!"

"You are free to go if you wish," Mary said. "However, Miss Hyuuga is coming with me."

"I-I'm not going if N-Naruto is in trouble!" Said Hinata, a determined glare on her face. Tenten stared in shock at this. The girl usually seemed so timid.

Mary Poppins was not in the least bit intimidated. "I'm sorry but that will not do at all."

"Just what gives you the right to cart her off anyway?!" Tenten demanded.

"The Third Hokage and the head of her Clan," Mary Poppins stated flatly. "Now, you are free to leave, Miss Tsume, but Miss Hyuuga-Miss Hyuuga!"

Hinata ran off, feet powering her across the grass of the clearing. Tenten turned and watched her go, and looked back at Mary Poppins. The nanny sighed, and held out a hand.

"H-Huh?!" Hinata cried, floating above the ground. Mary Poppins walked over and turned the Hyuuga girl around to look at her. Her imposing glare was matched by an indignant scowl from Hinata.

"As long as you are in my care, you will _stay_ in my care," Mary said. "If you are to defend yourself and that which you care for, you cannot run off right now or everything you fight for will die. Do you understand?"

Tenten stared in shock, somehow knowing that everything the strange, powerful woman said was true. It was as though the honesty of the words themselves thrust it's way into her heart, and rose up into her brain. It was one of the most disconcerting experiences she had ever had. Something bigger than her world could have ever prepared her for.

Hinata's lip trembled, and she closed her eyes. Mary sighed, sticking the tip of her umbrella into the ground.

"It is the truth... Nothing more, nothing less. A Hyuuga, of all people, should be able to discern this."

"But... But I..." Hinata fought back tears. "I l-love him..."

Tenten fought the surge of jealousy that erupted in her heart at that. Naruto was her friend, her _friend_. Emphasis on _friend_! And with everything going straight to hell, there was no time to be feeling this way!

"Then do what's best for him," Mary said. "If he is worthy of your love, then he _will_ triumph. If not..." She shook her head.

Hinata slowly nodded. Mary set her down.

The Hyuuga girl promptly kicked Mary Poppins in the shin and ran off as fast as she could in the direction of the Hokage Monument.

"OW! Miss Hyuuga, you get back here this instant!" Mary Poppins shouted. Tenten gulped and turned, running after her. "MISS HYUUGA GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"You're crazy, you know that!" Tenten shouted as soon as she caught up with Hinata, both of them leaping into the trees. Hinata shook her head.

"Th-Those who abandon the m-mission are trash, b-but those who abandon their t-team are less than trash." She looked back at Tenten. "S-So what does that make those who abandon the one th-they love?"

"You've got a point," Tenten agreed, giving her a weak encouraging smile.

Mary Poppins sighed, and opened her umbrella up. She took to the wind, ascending up into the sky and riding the breeze. She _thought_ Hinata was a proper young lady, brought up by nobility. She had, unfortunately, forgotten that it was _those_ sorts of ladies who were most susceptible to the traps of love and romance.

She was practically perfect in every way, but it so annoyed Mary Poppins to have a blind spot like this. She supposed the best thing to do would be to keep her charge out of trouble from a distance...

Out of kicking range. Those steel-toed ninja sneakers _hurt_!

- - - - - - - - -

When you decided to join ANBU, it wasn't one of those, "Oh, I need some extra money", or "It's just the next promotion." Joining ANBU more often than not was a lifetime commitment. The only way you were really able to "retire" from ANBU was if you had proved your loyalty to the village a hundred times over. Or if, like Kakashi, you just got too well known.

The ANBU Captain reflected as he looked upon these horrifically twisted forms before him. What remained of the villages past Hokages were barely recognizable. The Shodaime's hair flowing as crimson fire in the wind, the Nidaime with two rings of water circling him, making him look like a model of an atom. Where Orochimaru's special kunai had gone in, there were thick, black veins pumping along their necks, and the backs of their heads.

Their skin pitch black, spikes sticking out of their shoulders, and those bright yellow eyes....

Eyes that could haunt.....

It was nothing but sheer force of will that he and his squad stayed rooted to their spot, instead of running in sheer terror, like their instincts screamed.

They were ANBU, damn it. They were the best. "Now if only we could get around that barrier...." he mused out loud, completely ignoring the horrors in front of him, as he had been trained for such.

The eagle mask next him spoke up. "Captain! Maybe we could go underneath?" He asked.

"No, that woudn't work, Orochimaru wouldn't have been _THAT_ stupid," he said turning back to watch his leader begin his work as the two abominations circled him.

- - - - - - - - -

Sarutobi looked to his left at the Shodaime, and then looked to his right at the Nidaime. The water circling the water master was accelerating. Time to go to work.

He jumped back just as a huge tree branch erupted were he once stood, more emerging as he sailed in full reverse flashing through the appropriate seals and took in a breath as the wooden death came streaking towards him. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Releasing his chakra reinforced breath he torched the branches coming at him with ease, only to get a giant black fist to the jaw for his troubles.

The Nidaime followed up with a kick to his stomach that sent him flying. Sarutobi flipped and landed on his feet, throwing himself to the left in a Shunshin no Jutsu, while pulling shuriken into both hands. As he landed again, he threw both handfuls, and flashing through the proper seals, flared his chakra. "Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

The eight shuriken he threw became eighty, raining sharp hell upon the two warped beings. They staggered as the projectiles ripped through their darkness fueled forms, giving Sarutobi a much needed breather.

Orochimaru wasn't going to do anything right now, he was gloating over the fact that his creations had him against the ropes. So Sarutobi ran his thumb along the stream of blood flowing from his mouth, ran through the seals, and slammed his hand down growling out "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

A puff of smoke and the Monkey Boss, Enma, was standing by his side. "It's about damn time, Sarutobi!" He barked, looking away from his summoner to the two recovering shadow demons and their creator.

"Are we finally going to finish it?" Enma asked, looking back at his longtime friend. Sarutobi looked him hard in the eyes, conveying his message without words. The Saru Boss grinned toothily.

"Good. It's about time you got your act together. _Henge: Kongounyoi!"_

Another puff of smoke and Enma was now in his large staff form. Sarutobi spun him around as through the staff weighed nothing, and snapped into a dueling position with a small crack, like a whip.

"Let's go, my old student," Sarutobi ordered. Orochimaru grinned and extracted the Kusanagi from his throat, long tongue spinning out of his mouth lewdly as the legendary weapon was banished.

"I'm going to enjoy this," Orochimaru promised with a grin, as he and his Heartless puppets attacked.

- - - - - - - -

Kankuro grinned as he sensed his chakra strings be tripped. And by two so very familiar signatures.

"Hey, Temari... Got company."

He turned his head to regard his sister. She had been sitting on the tree, knees pulled up to her chest, staring in the direction of the fight between Gaara and those two Konoha genin. Kankuro had long since given up trying to block out the chakra bursts they were giving off. Seriously, the energy those guys were giving out... He knew the taste of Gaara's chakra all too well, the sheer hate and sadistic glee, but he liked to think he had built up a bit of an immunity. The energy put out by those _other_ clowns...

_I could take them,_ he thought stubbornly.

"The witch girl... And the Akimichi," Temari spoke softly. Kankuro nodded, game face coming down like a mask.

"Yeah... You're up to this, right?"

"... Yes. Of course," Temari said, still in that soft tone. She stood up, removing her fan from her back. "I'll take care of the girl, you deal with the boy."

"Right," Kankuro said. He rolled his shoulders, and cracked his knuckles. Out of the trees, Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji leaped, landing on opposing tree branches to theirs. By their body language, they knew what they were expecting.

"Well, well, well... If it isn't Tubby, and his little girlfriend, Sparky!" Kankuro taunted. Ino raised an eyebrow. Chouji growled. Even Temari made a face.

"You need to work on your banter, brother," Temari muttered.

"Oh, I agree with her," Ino commented with a vicious smile. "What are you, six?"

Ino glanced at Chouji, who for once, wasn't flying into a rage over someone insulting his weight. He looked back, and then smirked as well.

"Maybe a _really_ big six year old, with really big pajamas," Chouji snickered. Kankuro seethed.

"You fat bastard..." He shook off his anger, malicious glee emerging in his eyes. "You don't want to go help your friends... They're going to die against Gaara. They'll be torn to shreds and ground into his sand. You don't want to watch that, do you? See, we're doing you a favor."

Ino smirked back, and laughed quietly.

"You really think that sickly little boy can beat Naruto _and_ Sasuke," Ino asked. "You don't know who they're messing with. He doesn't either."

"Well, I tried, Temari," Kankuro sighed, shaking his head with the air of a man who had done all he could. "See how hard I tried?"

Temari said nothing, opening her fan to it's full three spots. "Let's just beat them." She frowned. "I can sense their backup coming up."

"Spoilsport," Kankuro muttered. He smirked broadly. He wouldn't let Temari's sudden moodiness spoil his fun.

Ino tightened her grip on her staff, magical energy flowing through her. Choji prepared to form handseals. Kankuro's smirk bore shining teeth.

Ino's brow twitched, and she frowned.

"Ino, Chouji... I will deal with this."

"Hwa?!" Kankuro and Chouji exclaimed. Ino and Temari turned to the source of the voice.

Aburame Shino stood on a nearby branch, hands in his pockets, looking as serene and unflappable as ever. Kankuro sneered.

"What, another Konoha genin out to get himself killed?"

"We can handle this, Shino," Ino said flatly. Shino shook his head.

"I understand that... However, the sooner you get to Naruto and Sasuke, the sooner you can render them aid," said the Aburame. He looked at Temari, and the Suna princess struggled not to shiver. He seemed to look right through her.

"In addition, Sakura and Shikamaru will be making their way around this spot," Shino said. Kankuro growled. Temari bit her lower lip. Shino raised an eyebrow.

"He's bluffing!" Kankuro snarled. "They haven't tripped my senses!"

"Shikamaru and Sakura do have some skill with evading traps," Shino commented. "You are heavily outnumbered. However, I am willing to fight you one on one to make things fair."

"Fair?" Kankuro got out, laughing incredulously. He smirked. "Ninjas don't fight fair."

"A fair fight is the only way to make this even a little entertaining," Shino returned, in the same cool, emotionless voice. It seemed to rile Kankuro even more than it would have if it had been spoken mockingly.

"Well... If that's what you want, Shino, then it's only fair to let you fight him alone," Ino surmised. She nodded to the Aburame, and then looked at Chouji. "Shall we?"

"Right," Chouji said. Temari's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not letting you pass," she said. Ino smirked, and twirled her staff.

"You don't have much choice... Besides... _THUNDER!_"

A blast of lightening struck the surprised Temari, turning her into a poof of smoke. Kankuro raised his brows and gawked. He turned back to look at the three Konoha genin grinning at him. Well, Shino's eyebrows were raised, but that was essentially a grin from him in this situation.

"Seems she left you the moment she heard about Sakura and Shikamaru," Shino observed. "Now then... About that one on one fight..."

"Good luck, Shino," Ino said with a grin. "Not that you'll need it."

"Appreciated all the same, Ino," Shino said with a slight nod. Ino and Chouji leaped off into the trees, leaving Shino and Kankuro to stare at eachother. Kankuro shook his head.

"I can't figure you Konoha ninja out," Kankuro said. "You're just all out to die!"

"Not die," Shino returned, assuming a fighting stance. "Win."

- - - - - - - -

It was impossible for Sakura to not be able to locate Naruto and Sasuke. She could be blindfolded, deaf, tied up and locked in a box dumped underwater and she could still pick them out while fighting. And from those two flares of power-Dark, focused chakra and fiery, furious chakra-she could tell that 'her boys', as she had begun to think of them, were fighting furiously.

She smiled and half-closed her eyes as she felt the power, defiantly burning against the almost overwhelming killing intent of Gaara. It was so thrilling, fighting against such strength. Before it would have terrified her-Now, her own inner darkness rising to resonate with the surrounding energies. Even as she moved swiftly through the trees, her mind was given to wander.

_It's so powerful, yet it feels like the gentle caress of cool breeze..._ She thought.

**_The gentle caress of a cool breeze? How poetic._**

_Thanks, I guess,_ Sakura replied, instinctively knowing that her Inner half would be going somewhere with this. She always was, nowadays.

_**Speaking of gentle caress, why are we skyclad beneath the skirt?**_ Her inner persona asked; posing in Sakuras mindscape with her pert derriere uncovered.  
_**  
I mean, I'm liking your initiative, but it seems a bit bold for you.**_

_I didn't have any panties to match my outfit,_ Sakura thought back, with a bit of a mental sigh.

**_Strawberry prints and teddy bears don't really go with black leather, do they?_**

_No, not really._

_**So; of course, getting caught without would be much less embarrassing. Well, at least that crazy ass bitch that cut Naru-chan would see that logic, so that's one. Fishnet panties and a chewed through assortment may be an even bolder fashion statement, but I suppose this would do in a pinch.**_

There wasn't much Sakura could say to that, the communal springs left few secrets between her fellow kunoichi; and her Inner Persona knew all the secrets she did.

_**Well; I'll admit, I'm kinda disappointed that it was a fashion choice. I thought for sure it was to keep the old "good luck" charm readily accessible...**_

_Good luck charm? Dare I ask?_ Sakura asked.

**_Yeah. It's more literal than a cute keychain, but some guys really need to be clubbed over the head before they understand your intentions. That's probably what we're up against._**

Sakura chuckled. _I think he was getting part of the picture before... And Ino-pig's reactions were spectacular. She's going to be so much fun now that we don't have Sasuke between us, especially since I can top her now._

**_Top her?_**, teased her Inner.**_ I thought you weren't "that way". If that's your new attitude, maybe now we can discuss getting someone better "between us". The only common ground you and the piggy had with Sasuke is your brand of conditioner, and a burgeoning love of the co-_**

_You know what I meant! I'm-_

_**-gonna start batting from both sides of the plate? Just so you know, I have never loved you more than I love you right now.**_

_NO! I like boys!_

_**Never said otherwise!**_

_ONLY boys!_

_**Yeah?**_ Her Inner Demon queried, her eyebrow arched over a bemused smile. _**Who's inside whose head here?**_

Sakura rolled her eyes in exasperation as her mind echoed with perverted giggles. Shikamaru, as ever, kept his distance, watching the emotions play over the pink-haired girl's face.

_I meant my _breasts_ are larger than hers!_

_**Oh yeah, we definitely got it over her sweet little loli behind. However, even if we got a holiday visit from the Titty Fairy, it looks like we still can't touch the Hyuuga chick in bounce factor,**_ Inner Sakura lamented. Sakura sighed.

It was clear that a baggy coat and chest binding could go a long ways toward hiding the happy effects of puberty. She remembered her mother once noting that all of the Hyuuga maidens seemed to be a tad overdeveloped when compared to their peers.

_**I'm betting that they were breeding for tits, and that doujutsu of theirs was a happy side effect of all that inbreeding,**_ Inner Sakura snorted. _**A body built for moe' sex and eyes that give her access to free porn? I would never leave my room.**_

_Can we _not_ talk about your descent into sexual debauchary?_

_**Hey, I'm just along for the ride here, even my pervs aren't my own.**_ Inner Sakura spread her hands in a helpless gesture. _**But speaking of perving, I hope our boys survive.**_

_They will,_ Sakura thought firmly. She could feel that strange power Naruto had used back at the bridge battle-Struggling, yearning to be free. Inner Sakura compelled an almost delirious grin to emerge on her face, new instincts interpreting the memory that was confusing and a little terrifying to be thrilling, exciting... Even erotic.

**_We'd better hurry, before we miss it,_** Inner Sakura purred. _**And afterwards...**_

"Heheheheheh..." Sakura giggled. Shikamaru flushed and very narrowly avoided running into a tree. Why did Sakura have to be so much more distracting and troublesome than before?

She leaped extra high above him, and Shikamaru's eyes widened. A massive nosebleed erupted from his nostrils and he went flying head over heels into a tree trunk. _THUD!_

"Shikamaru! What the hell are you doing?!" Sakura admonished. She frowned and cradled him in his arms. "You okay?! Hello? Shikamaru? Hello? HELLO?!"

"Gah... Women..." He moaned. Sakura scowled.

"What the hell are you talking about now?!"

A flash of killing intent brushed across her senses. Sakura instinctively moved away from the source, putting the tree's trunk between them. It was not too soon, as a high powered wind jutsu blasted around them. Bark, leaves and branches were cut and wrested loose from nearby trees, and Shikamaru groaned something quietly.

"What?" Sakura demanded. Shikamaru sighed.

"I _said_, this feels familiar..."

Sakura peeked around the tree trunk, and there she was. Temari stood on a tree branch, grim faced, her chakra feeling... Odd.

_What...?_ Sakura thought, blinking. _What is that...?_

"You're not getting past me," the Suna princess stated flatly. Sakura frowned.

_**Damn shame... She's quite the looker...**_ Inner Sakura observed.

_No time for hormones..._

_**No mixing business with pleasure? Awww...**_

_We're kind of in a fix here,_ Sakura thought back impatiently.

"How much chakra do you have left?" Sakura muttered to Shikamaru. The shadow user sighed.

"Maybe... Long enough to hold her for a few seconds... If I can grab her..."

"She'd see that coming," Sakura murmured.

"I know," Shikamaru stated. Temari's eyes narrowed.

"I'm giving you the chance to walk away, right now."

"Sorry, not an option!" Sakura shouted back. She stood up.

"I'll handle this..."

"Troublesome... Being saved by a woman... _Twice_," Shikamaru muttered. Sakura whacked the top of his head and smirked down at him.

"You know you love it," Sakura purred, before leaping out from her cover.

- - - - - - - - -

The _Mokuton_ was a feared bloodline limit for a reason-In the right hands it allowed for the summoning of entire forests to the wielder's aid. It had given Konoha it's name, turning a vast wasteland before the founding of the village into a fertile, lush forest.

Sarutobi leaned against his make-shift barrier, the summoned Enma's form of a staff being expanded into a cage. He breathed hard, the exertion unexpected.

"Sarutobi! Sarutobi, what's wrong with you?" Enma demanded. His summoner felt so weak, expending so much chakra in a fruitless stalemate. That Sarutobi could still match them was impressive, but impressive alone was not going to win.

"I'm sorry," the Hokage spoke quietly. He closed his eyes as Orochimaru's laughter carried through the forest.

"What's wrong, Sensei? Feeling tired? Worn out? Such is the way of mortals," the Snake Sannin taunted in an almost congenial tone. The two Heartless Hokage flanked him, standing still, awaiting their next instructions. So far, the battle had gone the way the Snake Sannin had expected. Even at this age, his sensei had fight in him-But against three Kage-level ninja, he could not hope to win.

Revenge was so close... He could feel it...

"Mortals and madmen," Sarutobi scoffed. Orochimaru chuckled, shaking his head in a chiding manner.

"Oh sensei, really... Is that the best you can do? Sanity is yet another limiting quality-There is only what you can do... And what you _can't_ do." He smirked. "For instance... You can't beat me. You can't stop the destruction of Konoha. You should accept that, Sensei..."

"Do you really think I would _ever_ accept such a preposterous thing?" Sarutobi snarled. Orochimaru's grin grew.

"Of _course_ not, Sensei! That's what makes this all the more delicious! You'd offer mercy to your enemies when you could, promoted peace. You made your opponents see the wisdom of your words, _accept_ the way of prey."

Sarutobi chuckled harshly. "Poor foolish student... You never learn... You _never_ learned..."

"What-That teamwork is the foundation of all? That the will of fire is strongest when shared?" Orochimaru mocked. "Spare me the platitudes, Sensei. I only achieved _true_ power through my own works, my own investigation and trials." He leered. "In Death, all are alone, and yet I have conquered it! All by myself! So what does that say to you, Sensei?"

"It says to me that you have not changed," Sarutobi retorted. "Always after the next jutsu, always out to master the next technique, yet learning _nothing_." He shakily stood up, and focused.

"You have drowned yourself in ninja techniques... Never thinking, never _considering_ that there was something else. Something beyond your world of chakra natures and handseals."

"Bah," Orochimaru scoffed. "I know of power beyond ninjutsu. I _also_ know it cannot compete. It may be arcane, but chakra! The energy of life! Harnessed by _eternal_ life! That is _true_ power!"

"There is much to be said for ninja, and chakra," Sarutobi stated. "I know this, perfectly well." A small smirk tugged at Sarutobi's lips, as he reached into a ninja pouch and brought out a small, glowing sphere. "But the power of the arcane... There is much to be said for it as well."

Orochimaru's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! NO! What are you planning, old man?!"

Sarutobi focused, his mind going back to lessons, long ago, with a strangely dressed, ageless woman with an umbrella in her hand and a song ever on her lips. He had not brought out this power for quite some time-Just as he had not utilized his most destructive jutsu in quite some time. But, low on chakra, it was time to bring out his backup power.

The sphere glowed brightly, green light shining forth between his wrinkled yet strong fingers. Sarutobi opened his eyes, and thrust the sphere forward, the words of power issuing from his harsh voice.

"_ULTIMA!_"

The magical blast erupted right underneath the shocked Orochimaru's feet, and he and his minions were all consumed in the massive burst of power.

- - - - - - - - -

Kankuro waited for Shino's insects to arise from the Aburame's sleeves, chakra strings tugged tightly. The swarm shot forth, angry buzzing filling the air. Kankuro smirked and leaped away quickly, Karasu leaping out into the swarm.

"Eat this, Bug Boy!" He shouted, as the puppet produced a cloud of smoke. The insects parted before the mechanism, and Karasu's clawed arms stretched out to skewer the Aburame. The claws sunk deeply into the chest of the sunglasses-wearing boy, and Kankuro grinned darkly.

"HAHAHAHA! Not die, win? Well, didn't take long to make you-Eh?!"

Shino dissolved into a swarm of insects, driven to the air by the smoke Karasu was still belching out. The whole swarm flew higher, forming a halo above the trees. Kankuro gaped and looked around frantically, stretching his chakra senses.

_Where is he-?!_

"Here," spoke a quiet, deadly voice behind him. A strong hand seized the back of Kankuro's hood and slammed his face into the tree trunk.

"AUGH!"

_How could I have been so stupid?!_ Kankuro thought furiously, swinging back with a ninja claw towards Shino. He'd seen the boy use the trick back in the pre-lims! How could he have missed it?

The answer was simple and obvious, of course-He'd prepared smoke dispensers with the Aburame in mind. Their insects would be driven off, and he'd thought they'd be otherwise helpless.

Shino caught Kankuro's wrist, eyes narrowing as the claws slightly tore at his coat. With a simple motion he slammed his other hand down and brought the gripping hand up. Kankuro twisted his arm and kicked out his foot just in time to prevent his wrist from being snapped.

"GAH!" The puppeteer shouted, as Shino stepped back. Kankuro leaped up to a higher branch, reaching out with his chakra strings to summon Karasu back to his aid. He grinned as the puppet flew back, diving for Shino.

"Nice trick, but you won't fool me-!"

He felt his strings slacken. Kankuro's eyes widened as Karasu seized up, going off-course. Shino calmly stepped aside as the puppet slammed into the tree branch, clicking and grinding helplessly.

"Wh-What the hell did you do?!" Kankuro demanded. He tried to reform the strings, but a numbing sensation only filled him in response. He looked down at his arm and yanked up a sleeve. The puppeteer's eyes widened.

"Allow me to explain," Shino said calmly. "As your puppet shot through my swarm, you did indeed force many of my insects away... But enough were able to get through, onto your chakra strings."

"Y-You bastard!" Kankuro growled, poisonous venom entering his bloodstream. Kankuro leaned against the tree trunk, teeth gritting. Shino merely raised his eyebrows.

"Considering you poisoned my comrade through a not dissimilar subterfuge... I wouldn't be talking right now," the Aburame observed. He adjusted his sunglasses. "Now then... I must-"

_THWIP! THWIP! THWIP!_

"!!!" Shino looked down at his torso. Poisonous needed stuck out of his stomach. Kankuro smirked viciously.

"Hahahaha... Where's your confidence now, Bug Boy? Huh?"

Shino slowly looked up at Kankuro, tugging his hands into his sleeves. He then calmly pulled the needles out of his torso. The puppeteer blinked.

"Wha-?!"

"Tell me... Do you really think that I would not wear body armor underneath my clothing?" Shino asked. "There is a reason for our... Unusual fashion choices, you know."

"You bastard," Kankuro seethed. "Well, take it! Even if I die... Your entire village will be destroyed _anyway_!"

"That is another false assumption," Shino returned calmly. "In nature, the animals with the brightest coloring are the most dangerous." He raised a single eyebrow. "Such is also the case with Konoha ninja..."

- - - - - - - - -

_Merry Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight! The conclusion to the Konoha Arc is next chapter! Promise! Cross my heart! _

_Sorry, sorry again for the long update. But! Now I only have one more semester of college to go, so now my brain isn't so heavily burdened. Updates are going to come MUCH faster now, with one easy semester left to go through. So, KTTH is back in business, officially!_

_Again, contribute omakes if you want to see them in the story. I can't promise when they'll show up, but they will. Also, as usual please tell me what you liked and didn't like about the story, so I can improve it. Thank you!_

_Also, just because Hinata said she loved Naruto does not mean this story will end NaruHina. Suffice it to say I am a better writer than that, so don't run off in disgust just yet!  
_

_Only one omake this time around, but enjoy. Special thanks to RockLeeTheAwesome, blue7zone, and everyone else on TFF for all their help with this chapter! And for kicking me until I finally got it going again._

"Practically Perfect", by zerohour:

"OW! Miss Hyuuga, you get back here this instant!" Mary Poppins shouted. Tenten gulped and turned, running after her. "MISS HYUUGA GET BACK HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"You're crazy, you know that!" Tenten shouted as soon as she caught up with Hinata, both of them leaping into the trees. Hinata shook her head.

"Th-Those who abandon the m-mission are trash, b-but those who abandon their t-team are less than trash." She looked back at Tenten. "S-So what does that make those who abandon the one th-they love?"

"You've got a point," Tenten agreed, giving her a weak encouraging smile.

"Miss Hyuuga, there is a distinct difference between abandoning someone, and staying the _fuck _out of their way."

Hearing the word "fuck" come fromt he prim and proper woman's mouth caused both Hinata and Tenten to trip and fall. As they struggled to their feet, Mary Poppins proceeded to lecture them on the likely outcome of their foolhardy venture, going into explicit detail on the many ways they would be hurt, maimed, and killed, giving enough detail so that there would be no doubts as to what would happen, but leaving enough up to their imaginations to make the horrors custom made for their minds.

After several minutes, Mary Poppins started to wrap it up, leaving the twso girls paralyzed, with shell shocked expressions adorning their features.

"Any questions?"

As one, the girls shook their heads slowly, before collapsing in a dead faint.

Having the decency to blush (though only slightly), Mary glanced around, making sure no one else had been around to hear her, before casting a quick charm to erase their recent memories, and dragging the victims of her speech to relative safety. Hopefully, they would assume she had put them to sleep.

It was days like these that made her only _practically_ perfect.


	34. It's the End of the World as we Know It

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

**"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - -

The fight in the competitors area was quickly becoming manageable, as it was obvious that the skilled enemies from Suna were too few; while those from the young Sound village lacked the training those of Konoha had. In particular, the presence of Kakashi and his longtime rival, Gai, was making significant progress in balancing out the overwhelming mass of enemy nin storming their position.

This fact was at the forefront of Hakate Kakashis mind as he again easily dispatched an underskilled chuunin from Sound with a palm strike to the throat. As a seeming afterthought, he turned the momentum of his back leg forward; smoothly spinning under a katana strike before driving a kunai enhanced backfist under the breastbone of the swordsman attacking his blind side.

_It's like they depopulated their academy and reserves and threw them against us: The Rookies could handle this bunch if we didn't have to cover the left side of the visitors box and protect the nobles._

At the cycloptic jounin's side, Gai was having similar thoughts. The muscular jounin was amazed at the lack of skill shown in their attackers; even hindered by guarding the side of his young protege', he felt lttle challenge coming from this battle. It gave him some pride to note that as the battle had progressed, Lee had purposefully inched out from his sensei's shadow.

The injured genin had used his limited chakra control to secure his crutch securely to the length of his leg, and was using it as a pivoting and anchoring point for his offensive strikes. Lee twirled a _nunchaku_, fashioned from the weights that usually adorned his legs in his good hand. The young taijutsu expert flashed through his opponents, now using a soft style of chang quan to minimize the strain on his injuries, the hachiwara haft now serving to protect his off arm.

"Kakashi, it's my belief that the situation is well in hand here. I would go and pick up my last adorable charge and ensure his safety at this time!" Gai spoke.

Kakashi turned to his long time rival, casually sidestepping a strike to his knees, his ever present orange book now in his hands.

"You still here, Gai?"

"Ooooooooh! Even in these serious times, you must be this way, my rival!" Gai bellowed, watching as Kakashi spun through the strike of a Suna nin, his book flashing out across his body to strike at the mans exposed neck.

The Copy Nin turned to his erstwhile rival.

"You know, I could see someone dying while doing what is printed on page 53 if they didn't have good balance and didn't get enough fiber in their diet. I never thought that the actual page would kill someone though." Looking closer at his beloved orange book, he sighed. "Dammit, he left a stain."

The Green Beast decided that for once he could ignore his rivals unorthodox behavior.

"Come, Lee! Let us depart for our fellow teammates side! We will return post haste to see the battles conclusion-!"

_KABOOM!_ A powerful explosion sent tremors throughout the stadium, and all three turned to look up at the Hokage stands. From the flash and devastation contained within the purple field, it was clear a powerful jutsu had just gone off.

Lee gaped in astonishment, as Gai smiled broadly. "YOSH! Now _that_ is the power of a Hokage! Observe well, my adorable student!"

"I am, Gai-sensei!" Lee said, slapping around a few nearby Sound ninja who had stopped to watch the 'fireworks'. Kakashi, however, could only frown. He'd seen that 'jutsu' once before...

"Gai, change of plans. Take charge of things here; I'm going to check on the Hokage," Kakashi ordered. He vanished, heading at high speed for the rooftops of the arena. Gai frowned, but nodded in affirmation, casually dispatching another Sound ninja with a backhand punch.

- - - - - - - - -

Enma had returned to a single staff form, and Sarutobi held him in one hand as he moved forward into the ruin he had wrought. The Monkey Boss felt immensely satisfied. Sarutobi, at last, was doing what he should have done from the start. The moment he had laid eyes on Sarutobi's genius student, he knew, he _knew_ that one day, the boy would strike the heel of his father figure.

He stank of serpents.

Sarutobi stepped out into the ruins of the roof, and stopped as the smoke slowly began to clear and the debris settled. A massive hole had been ripped in the roof, exposing the underside of the containment field. Laying on the field, two bodies were slowly revealed.

_Two-!_

Sarutobi swung around, blocking the _Kusanagi's_ strike. Orochimaru leered underneath a bloody brow, licking his own cheek lewdly.

"I see there's still a little life in you left, Sensei," Orochimaru chuckled, his voice sounding hoarse. "Eheheheheh... Even so... You're not going to win."

"Oh? Really?" Sarutobi coughed, grinning savagely back. "Your perversion of the ninja arts hasn't availed you the easy victory you wanted!"

"Easy or not, it's only temporary," Orochimaru laughed. "You're only delaying the inevitable. It's so _pitiful_, fighting for such outdated, insubstantial concepts. There is nothing more than what you can touch or use-And all that you touch will be destroyed by _mine_." He grinned. Sarutobi's grin widened back, not intimidated in the slightest.

"Such a narrow-minded view, so sure of itself... But falls apart when you realize what _drives_ it, student," he stated. He knocked Orochimaru back, and the Snake Sannin skidded back. Sarutobi spun Enma around, as Orochimaru sneered.

"What would that be, _Professor_?" The Snake Sannin hissed. Sarutobi shook his head.

"Isn't it obvious, my slow, _scared_ student?" The Hokage asked. "You fear anything you cannot control, or analyze. Death _terrifies_ you." Sarutobi smirked, enjoying the petty pleasure of seeing the rage in Orochimaru's eyes.

"It is why I will defeat you."

"You cannot kill me, old fool! And this village, this circle of _huts_, will be _your_ grave, not mine!" Orochimaru snarled, charging the Hokage with a wide swing of his sword.

"Perhaps, but it will not be your victory either," Sarutobi said calmly, meeting his strike with a grunt.

- - - - - - - - -

She could feel it. Hearing it's roar, seeing the massive black nightmare chasing her, even smelling the scent-The scent of dead air-It all paled next to feeling it's hunger for her heart. It was as though it had a thread straight to her heart, composed of her fear, her anger, her sorrow, her guilt.

With each tug of that string, she felt it's hunger, and she tried to will herself to run faster.

The massive Heartless' roar sent Kin tumbling through the air mid-jump, unable to stick her landing on a rooftop. She tripped and hit on her shoulders, momentum carrying her off and gravity dragging her down to the dirt street below. With a loud grunt the air was forced from her lungs. She was morbidly happy for it-It kept her from screaming as the giant Heartless peered over the roof above, serpent-like head snarling at her.

On it's clawed forearms were metal gauntlets, poked full of holes to let a strange, eerie tune. Always piping, almost cheerful-Mocking.

"What the hell-?!" Gasped someone nearby. The monster turned it's glowing yellow eyes to this target, and opened it's large jaws, unveiling gleaming, piano-key-like teeth. It took a loud, piping breath, and let out a piercing shriek. The man's resulting screams were joined by others, until they all stopped. The scream just grew louder and Kin employed a sound jutsu to protect her ears.

The Heartless turned back and lunged, jaws open. Kin barely rolled out of the way, employing some of her chakra to leap back up to her feet and resume running. The monster's tune stayed constant, even though she heard no footsteps.

It controls sound, her quick mind understood._ It uses it as it's weapon._

Not surprising, considering who Kabuto had used for it's creation...  
_  
No.  
_  
She refused to think of this predator after her as Zaku or Dosu. Not anymore. They were dead. All that was left was that thing. She felt its hunger for her heart. She felt the surety of it's pursuit. She knew it would run her down and rip her heart from her body. The mark of the Darkness was upon her-The Sense, the Sight, which had facilitated control of the Heartless. Now, it acted as a beacon to draw the monsters after her. She knew there was no chance she could escape.

She kept running.

- - - - - - - - -

Sakura clenched her fists, tensed and ready. She looked out of her peripheral vision at Shikamaru's movement. He was readying two flash bombs. He wiggled his pinky at her. She got the message.

Dredging into her other chakra and closing her eyes. She was reminded of the jutsu taught to her by Sawada-sensei as she thought for inspiration. Of the freezing ice caps in the northern land of Yukigakure. She thought of those snow covered trees, and of the unforgiving winter wind. She threw her fist foward, opening it as she cried. "_Blizzard!_"

As Temari jumped away from the magical blast of ice, she yanked her fan forward. "_ Kamaitachi no Jutsu!_" The trees in the area where they once resided were uprooted and shredded in the ensuing destruction.

As the dust settled, Temari scanned the landscape, not even thinking for a second that those two were dead. Her vigilance paid off, as she pivoted off of her back foot, pulling hard on her folded up fan, slamming it dead center of Sakura's stomach as the pink haired kunoichi came flashing out of a Shunshin.

Sakura was launched back, bouncing off the ground, scraping herself against rocks and such, until she came to a skidding stop, coughing and sputtering, as she clutched her stomach tightly. She coughed violently, and spit up a little blood. Temari stalked up to her, with her folded fan held in a thrusting position. For some strange reason the blonde was breathing rather hard, despite how little she had done. Sakura closed her eyes as the Fan Mistress came level with her, her fan poised to strike.

And cleverly avoided the blinding flash that ensued as Shikamaru tossed his flash bombs from his hiding spot behind some downed trees nearby. Even with her eyes tightly shut, when it was all said and done, Sakura still had spots in her eyes.

"Goddamn, Shikamaru!" Sakura cried, rubbing her eyes. "Were they bright enough?" She took stock of her injuries to make sure that that hit with the fan hadn't done any lasting damage. The shadow user snorted. "Hey, it worked, didn't it?" he said, standing up. Bridging the gap between him and Temari was their connected shadows.

"With so much light created there was no way she could get away." He explained, smirking. They turned to look at the Sand nin, who had a petrified look on her face...that was peeling? "Oh, hell." Shikamaru said. He released his _Kagemane no Jutsu_ and the _Suna Bunshin_ fell apart.

Sakura scanned the area as she stood up, not having anything seriously damaged. _Where is she?_

_**Well, shit. We lost her.**_ Her inner side replied.

_Yeah..._ Sakura said, half paying attention.

_**What are we gonna do about it?**_ Inner asked.

_I don't know yet. Let me think._ Sakura replied waspishly, getting rather irritated.

_**We don't have time to think! We have to kick her ass now and go help our boys!**_ Inner bit back.

_Look, I'm trying to look for her an-_WHAM! CRAACK!! "AAAUGGG!"

Sakura's little inner "dialogue" cost her the attention she needed. Temari appeared in front of her, swinging the folded up fan like a heavy club straight for her head. It was because of Shikamaru's timeliness that she wasn't oozing her brain out onto the ground. Too bad he got a dislocated shoulder in the bargain.

"GAHH!" he screamed. Temari payed him no mind as she flicked her fan fully open again, turning to Sakura. As she swung foward, letting out another mighty _Kamaitachi no Jutsu_, Sakura _Kawarimi'd_ with a log a little behind Shikamaru, as there were plenty.

As Temari turned around sensing her position, Sakura pulled on her other chakra again. Feeling the energy build up to its peak, she cried out. "_Haste!_"

The little red clock showed up spinning on Sakura's wrist just like Sasuke. As Temari threw another _Kamaitachi no Jutsu_ out, the pink haired girl flashed out of sight faster than the sand kunoichi could track.

She looked around sensing for the girl, panting hard. The exertion of so many _Kamaitachi's_ was taking it's toll, though she was amazed she was _tired_. She _shouldn't_ be this tired, to be truthful.

The sand nin sensed the girl to her left but turned late, recieving a fist to the jaw. As she stumbled back, she recieved a kick in her side, causing her to drop her fan. As she looked up, she got an uppercut that made her float for a moment, then a punch to the stomach while still in midair to juggle her. Then another gut punch, followed by a kick to her hip that sent her spinning in place(still in midair, by the way), followed by a punch to her cheek to violently stop her momentum. As she landed on her feet, she was lifted off the ground again very painfully by a full force kick to her crotch.

This unforgiving onslaught was finalized by a jumping spin kick that slowed back down to normal speed midspin as she started to come back down. Temari went flying back, slamming hard against the dirt, and rolling harshly along until she bumped hard against a boulder where she slightly screamed.

Sakura settled down and walked calmly over to the girl. As she neared, Temari lunged for her, a kunai flashing into her hand. Sakura easily dodged the sloppy lunge and kicked the girl hard in the ribs as she passed, causing her to yelp and drop the kunai, clutching herself as she landed. Sakura bent down and grabbed Temari by the throat, lifting her up and smirking at her.

"Now, what to do with you?" Sakura asked, as her hair started to turn a bloody crimson, and her eyes had an ethereal glow. Shikamaru, who was looking on, gulped loudly as this darker side came out of Sakura. He didn't like it. It didn't feel right. Then again, his arm didn't either but he figured he was in a slight case of shock so that was normal.

Temari whimpered in Sakura's grip. "What was that? Don't let go? Hold tighter? Okay!" Sakura said bubbly, as she began tightening her grip on the girl's throat.

As she began to choke, Sakura simply grinned. She drank up this girl's fear. She could see it in her eyes, as she futilely grabbed at the arm attached to the hand strangling her. Sakura could vaguely hear Shikamaru's scream stop, but she wasn't paying attention.

But as the girl started to fight less, the novelty wore off, and Sakura was getting bored. As her bloodlust receded, so did her changes. She dropped the girl unceremoniously to the ground. "You bore me."

Sakura idly noticed the small battalion of bugs crawling off of Temari's leg as she turned towards Shikamaru. _Kikai bugs.....Nice job, Shino...._ As she walked over to the pineapple headed genin, Ino and Choji landed next to the boy.

Ever the faithful friend, Choji immediately began to pester Shikamaru with questions on his well being. Ino looked from Temari to Sakura to Shikmaru back to Sakura. "Did...did you beat her Sakura?" she asked. She knew the girl was stronger now, but...._wow_.

The pink haired girl smirked and crossed her arms. "Of course! Who else, Ino-pig?" Ino frowned. "I....Never mind." She looked back and Temari was gone. "Wow, she hightailed it out of here. What did you do, Forehead?" The blonde asked.

Sakura only grinned impishly. "Oh, a little of this, and a little of that." Ino frowned and turned to Shikamaru. "Well, you're still useless." She sighed. The Nara would have facefaulted had he not been in extreme pain at the moment. "Well, the only reason I'm like this is because I took a hit for _her_!" He proceeded to scream like a little girl as Choji put his arm back in its socket.

As his breathing slowed and the girls stopped giggling at him (_Troublesome_), he began to speak. "Okay, I have no chakra left, and I need to go get medical attention because I don't know what else I have that might be seriously damaged. I think I might also have a broken wrist, as indicated by the swelling and the purple color." He inclined his head at said wrist, which happened to be his right.

Sakura snorted. "Well, I'm going on ahead. I have plenty of chakra, and I'm not abandoning Naruto and Sasuke." Ino nodded her head in agreement with that statement.

Shikamaru looked from the girls to Choji. "That works out. Choji doesn't have any good long range attacks, and I'm sure we'll need it against Gaara. We'll head back, see what we can do to help. I'll only slow you two down if I go."

Choji nodded. He trusted Shikamaru's judgment. Ino nodded her head, and Sakura shrugged. "Okay, go help them. We'll try and direct anybody headed your way." With that, Shikamaru and Choji jumped away, intent on reaching medical attention.

Sakura and Ino watched the boys go before turning back to the massive waves of energy coming from Sasuke and Naruto's direction. They turned to each other and stared intently at each other. They nodded and took off towards the battle being waged between superpowers.

Temari watched the boys go, and waited for a bit before hauling herself up out of her hiding spot and following after the girls. If nothing else, she could help Gaara. She wouldn't let anything happen to her little brother.

- - - - - - - - - -

Kin hadn't expected to just run into a Konoha ninja. She was reasonably sure that most of them would be too occupied with the monsters and invasion to worry about a lone Oto kunoichi, running from another giant monster. She was pretty sure that such callousness came with the territory.

That was what being a ninja _was_. If you didn't have to help take out your target, you didn't have to.

"Gah!" She cried out, narrowly avoiding another soundblast from the Heartless behind her. A trashcan in the street exploded behind her, and she felt something heavy hit her in the back, sending her slamming into the ground face-first. "UNGH!"

Kin tumbled across the dirt, and was brought to a jarring stop by a wall. She winced and looked up, trying not to move. The wind had been knocked out of her.

The Zaku/Dosu monster leered at her, stalking across the street with it's cheerful tune billowing out, a cynical funeral march. It's wide jaws opened, it's whole body coiled for it's lunge. Kin closed her eyes tightly, hoping that it was quick...

The music screamed as the monster leaped-

_"REFLECT!"_ Cried a female voice. The music changed abruptly, a cacophony of wild flats and naturals. Kin opened her eyes.

The monster had fallen back, as though thrown away by the pale, dark-haired girl now standing in front of her. Kin gaped in disbelief.

"Are-Are you all right?" The girl asked.

"I... Huh?" Kin managed intelligently. The girl shook her head and charged the Heartless, calling out more words that caused a resulting flare in strange chakra.

_"PROTECT! MIGHT!"_ She called out, and with an open-palm strike burning with chakra she slammed into the Heartless, making it's song roar out in anger. Kin slowly pushed herself up, watching as the girl-No, the _kunoichi_ continued to fight, seemingly slapping the monster into a nearby storefront.

"Hey... You okay?" Asked another female voice. Kin, startled, looked up to see that bunned weapons specialist above her, hanging by her toes from the roof.

"Uh... Yes?" Kin said. The girl smirked.

"Good," she stated, before punching Kin as hard as she could with a kunai in her hand. Kin saw stars, and slammed back into the ground, groaning.

"Owww! Wh-What was-?!"

"Uh, gee, what do you think?" The weapons specialist asked. She detached herself from the roof, twisting in mid-air and easily landing on the ground, glare intensifying. Kin gulped, and scooted back as the girl seemed to tower over her, malevolence in every bit of her gaze.

"Freaking figures," Tenten spat. "You trust a new village on the block, try to let them show their stuff, and what happens? They end up invading the village." She shook her head with a sigh.

"I'm... I'm no longer part of my village," Kin admitted quietly. Tenten snorted.

"Well, boo hoo freaking hoo. You expect me to buy that?"

"You think I would lie at a time like this?!" Kin snarled. "I heard you Konoha ninja were _slow_, but I didn't think they were _this_ slow and-URK!"

Tenten had grabbed Kin by the throat, and bodly lifted her up and slammed the smaller girl into the wall. The Oto kunoichi tried to gasp for breath in the face of Tenten's cold expression.

"The only reason I'm not going to kill you right now, is because my friend over there needs my help," the weapons specialist said in a flat, angry tone. "So, you can either get the hell out of here, or..." She produced a senbon from somewhere and held it to the cringing Kin's eye. "I find out how far I can shove this into your head."

"O-Okay! Okay!" Kin whimpered. "I-I'll run! I promise!"

"Good," Tenten snorted, dropping Kin. She tucked the senbon back into her hair and turned to join the fight. Kin, gasping for breath, couldn't help one question:

"Why... Why'd she help me? Why are you letting me go?" She asked. Tenten paused, considered... Then shrugged.

"She thinks you'd make a good concubine for her husband... You know, the blonde guy with whiskers?" Tenten said. Kin gaped, never seeing the smirk on the weapons specialist's face as she ran forward and threw two kunai with explosive seals wrapped around their handles at the Heartless.

"HINATA! GET DOWN!"

The Hyuuga girl deflected a sonic blast from the monster, which sent her tumbling away. Seeing this, Tenten threw herself to the ground as the kunai connected with the monster, and detonated.

Two large explosions rang out, and the monster vanished from sight into a large cloud of smoke and debris. Hinata coughed from her position on the ground, and sat up, shaking her head.

"Oooh... T-Tenten?"

She immediately spotted the older girl with her Byakugan, and rushed over to the prone figure. "Tenten! T-Tenten, are you all right?!"

Tenten made a wheezing sound, slowly lifting her head from the ground. Hinata gaped, and summoned her magic to cast a healing spell, before the wheezing... Changed tone.

"Heheheheh... Hahahahahahahahaha!"

"Uwah?" Hinata replied intelligently, as Tenten laughed, sitting up and looking over the destruction just two tags had wrought. The weapons specialist grinned broadly as she saw that the storefront Hinata had initially slammed the monster into was rubble, while the two nearby shops were badly damaged.

"Hahahahahahaha! Oh yeah!" Tenten grinned. "Not the biggest boom I could manage, but still!"

"Uhhh..." Hinata began. "Tenten?"

"What? You have any idea how long I've been waiting to let loose with some of those?" Tenten asked. "Gai-sensei still holds the whole 'eyebrows' incident against me, and the-"

"_Tenten!_" Hinata cried out, grabbing her by the shoulders and jumping away. Tenten's confusion was soon alleviated, as the pile of rubble the store had once been exploded from the force of a sonic blast. Hinata and Tenten landed on another roof, the haunting melody of the Heartless once more ringing out as it stalked out of the debris, hungry eyes locking onto them.

"Oh," Tenten muttered. She then shrugged, and grinned.

"Got _plenty_ more where those came from!" Tenten said, unsealing a knapsack from a scroll and putting the strap over one shoulder. Out of the bag, she produced six more exploding kunai, and held them between her fingers. Hinata didn't particularly like the glint in the older girl's eyes, but prepared for the second round with the monster.

The sooner they beat this thing, the sooner they could get to Naruto, she rationalized.

Neither girl gave much thought to Kin, who had vanished after the explosion…

- - - - - - - - - -

It was down to steel, in a manner of speaking. The Snake Sannin, armed with the Kusanagi, thrust and slashed through the air with the ancient blade, seeking the blood of his mentor. He was denied by the diamond-hard King of Apes, sealed in the form of a great staff that the Third Hokage wielded with a grace and speed that belied his age.

Their weapons clashed like thunder booming, furiously striking, parrying, a deadly duel that witnesses would later liken to watching a pair of leaves dance in a flame.

Fatigue, however, was showing in the movements of the older Hokage. For every hard blow dealt to the Snake Sannin that sent him back, forced by the kinetic energy of Sarutobi's staff, a cut appeared on the Hokage's flesh. Orochimaru's snarl of rage had twisted as the fight went on into a smirk, and his movements betrayed economy of movement, a waiting game.

A game Sarutobi knew he couldn't win. Not like this.

"_Kamataichi no jutsu!"_ Orochimaru called, sending a slashing wind after the Hokage. Sarutobi grunted and held his ground, focusing his chakra aura to try and deflect the cutting strike, but blood had once more been drawn on him. Orochimaru cackled.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Well, I suppose watching you _bleed_ to death is worth the time this takes!" Orochimaru grinned. "A short death wouldn't be _nearly_ as enjoyable for me!"

"Haven't you been paying attention, at all, to the outside my idiotic student?!" Sarutobi snarled back. "Your forces are being _slaughtered!_"

Orochimaru chanced a look over the village. His snake summons were being fought back by large toad summons, _including_ Gamabunta himself, far off on the edges of town. There were far more Suna and Oto dead lying in the arena than Konoha. The genjutsu had failed to incapacitate enough ninjas.

Their academies had been emptied, and now hundreds of students from the two villages were dead or wounded. Their veteran ninjas were subsequently out-numbered or out-powered by Konoha ninja.

In every sense of the words, Otogakure and Sunagakure had made a _huge_ blunder, a mistake they could not hope to recover from in decades.

Orochimaru slowly looked over at Sarutobi, and couldn't help his wild grin.

"Slaughtered? Perhaps... Perhaps... All fuel for a fire. A sacrifice, you might say, to heathen gods and forces of darkness!"

"What... What are you planning?!" Sarutobi demanded. Orochimaru cackled again, leaning his sword against his shoulder.

"Why... You haven't figured it out yet, Sensei? Why would I expend all my forces and the forces of one of your closest allies in a simple attempt at revenge?" He giggled, and Sarutobi felt white hot rage boil through him.

"You...!" Sarutobi sighed, feeling his strength leave him. "You're after the Keyhole."

"Why... You're not surprised, Sarutobi?" Orochimaru asked mockingly. "Sure, it wasn't _quite_ my idea to begin with, but I enjoy letting Kabuto think he has any _real_ power." He licked his lips and smiled more widely, madness burning in his eyes.

"After all... In the end, I know who holds his leash."

Sarutobi gaped... And then shook his head in utter disbelief.

"You've been pretending, all this time, that this duel was all that mattered... Even though you knew I couldn't leave this box to stop your true plan... For what?" Sarutobi asked.

"Why, to see the look on your face, Sensei!" Orochimaru laughed. "To enjoy your little triumphs as I brought them ALL down upon your head! After all... I had my part to play in this little plan of Kabuto's. Just as you had yours. We all played _perfectly_, but I-I saw the strings! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Orochimaru's grin grew as a tremor went through the ground, and the sky above began to turn dark. "There's absolutely _nothing_ you can do to stop it, Sensei. _Nothing_. That's what brought me here, what made me wait and play for so long. To just see the dawning comprehension of your own pointlessness, of the futility of _all_ your actions, right up until now!"

Orochimaru laughed again, even as the ANBU outside stared in horror.

The mad Sannin laughed, and laughed... Slowly stopping when he heard another. He stared at Sarutobi, who was chuckling himself.

"What's this? Have you finally lost it, Old Man?! This is _the end_! The last day of Konoha! The END of ALL! What are you _laughing_ for?!"

"One... Like you said, I had my own plans," Sarutobi replied calmly. "Plans that take something like this into account. I had hoped you hadn't fallen that far, old student, but I took precautions in case you did. _Second_... You're laughing because you think you can escape the inevitable consequences of your actions." Sarutobi shook his head and set Enma down.

"Too long you've been the spoiled brat, always getting what you wanted. Too long you've gone unchecked. I may not be able to save this world from you, Orochimaru, with my own hands..." He began making handseals, a grim expression on his face.

"But I'll ensure you don't escape what's coming to you. Here's a jutsu even _you_ don't know, Orochimaru!"

- - - - - - - - -

Naruto wasn't entirely sure what he was thinking as he threw himself at Gaara. The Keyblade moved, and he moved with it, blocking the sand shuriken that flew out at him in order to get close enough to hit the demon container in the face. Gaara's laughter filled his ears as he swung again, and again, barely managing to block a swing of one of the monster's massive arms.

"UNGH!" He grunted, his back slamming into the ground and nearly knocking the wind out of him had he not rolled. Razor sharp silicate projectiles nearly perforated him, Gaara's Suna Shuriken lashing out in greater quantities than before.

His focus narrowed. In a way, there was nothing in the universe except for himself and Gaara. A slash of his massive claws avoided there, a Fire spell shot into the sand armor. There was a rhthym to the battle, an pace, like the dancing Ayame enjoyed.

Except more violence was involved.

"I grow tired of this, Uzumaki Naruto!" Gaara cackled, seemingly ignoring the three quick strikes Naruto delivered to his armored shell. His eyes flared bright yellow through his sand skin, his leering grin growing. "I GROW BORED!"

Jagged, toothed mouths opened all over Gaara's body, and with a great intake of breath, they blew out a small sandstorm that blast Naruto off his feet.

"GUWAAHHHH!" He cried, tumbling head over heel across the park ground. "OOF!"

Naruto groaned and winced at the hard object that had stopped him. Reaching behind him, he felt it-Hard wood tree. He was beginning to really, really hate trees...

_**You are getting nowhere,**_ crooned an unfortunately familiar voice in the back of his head. _**How much longer will you deny that you need me?**_

"Shut up, shut up, _shut up!"_ Naruto snarled, eyes flaring blood red. "We had a DEAL! If I need you, I'll _call_ on you!"

Sasuke stared from behind the trees, Gamakichi sticking to the trunk nearest him. With the Sharingan active, he was seeing details of Naruto's chakra system he never had before.

_I knew he had a lot, but even after all that, he still has more than me?_ He thought. The Uchiha's remarkable eyes widened further.  
_  
And that... What is that inside him... That... Fire?_

"Who is he talking to?" Sasuke mumbled to Gamakichi. The summon coughed, and shrugged.

"Got me..."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and tried to stumble forth, taking advantage of Gaara's focus on his struggling foe. Said Suna ninja continued his steady walk after Naruto, his extendable arms lashing out in between strikes with sand shuriken.

It was hopeless. Naruto was fighting something within himself just as he was fighting Gaara, and whatever was within him... It seemed to be winning.

A spike of chakra appeared on the edge of his senses, and he turned to see what was coming up from behind Gaara. _Wait... Is that...?_

A figure in black leather, short pink-hair waving around her determined face, leaped high into the air across the park grass. As she crossed over the sun, Sakura brought her arms over her chest and kept her legs tightly together as one of the bracelets she wore glowed brightly.

_"AERO!"_ She roared, and a whirlwind burst into being around her, directing her descent. Her skirt blew up (giving Sasuke a view that made his face as red as his eyes) but she never faltered, spinning with the wind, a missile headed right for the back of Gaara's head.

Naruto, too, was shocked. "Sakura?!"

"HEEEYAA-!"

_WHAM!_

Time seemed to stand still. Sakura's eyes, before narrowed in focus and triumph, were round with shock and horror. Gaara's glowing yellow eyes crinkled as he grinned maliciously, sandy claws clenched tightly around her leg.

"Heheheh... Perfect... _PERFECT!_" He laughed, twisting to his side and then throwing Sakura as hard as he could. His arm detached and expanded, trapping the pink-haired kunoichi, who subsequent struggles were halted as she slammed into the ground. The claws of the arm slammed into the ground around and underneath her shoulders, pinning Sakura fast.

"AUUUGHH!" She cried out, gasping for breath as the sand construct pushed down on her.

"SAKURA!" Naruto and Sasuke shouted in unison. Gaara's loud laughter rang out across the park, and he turned back to regard his foes, detached arm replaced by another as though nothing had been lost.

"So, Naruto Uzumaki... Is this enough for you to let go?" He leered. "Is this enough to become a monster too?"

Naruto's gaze darted about wildly. From the trapped, gasping Sakura, to the grimacing, barely able to stand Sasuke...

To Ino, who had come to a stop behind Gaara, pale blue eyes wide in horror. Her staff was clenched tightly in one gloved hand, but Naruto could imagine that her knuckles would be white if he could see them.

"Give in... _Give in!_" Gaara roared. "I can't wait to see you strike out, try to break the _mirror_..." His leer grew. "And be _crushed_ in turn."

The Kyuubi's power flared around Naruto, eyes glowing dark red, clenched teeth becoming sharper. He felt the caress, the intoxicating caress of power... The urge to just give into his rage, _destroy_ Gaara, destroy him completely, end the threat...

_Broken mirror... Broken mirror..._ He looked at Ino, saw the fear in her eyes, the hesitation...

_Fear. Fear... Demon._

_Monster._

_Kyuubi..._

Naruto was hit by sickening, sobering clarity, and he stared into the leering eyes of Gaara. Saw the rage, saw the bloodlust...

_Hurt._

_He's just like me,_ Naruto thought, the Kyuubi's power dying down. _He's... He's like how I would have been, if not..._

His thoughts strayed to Iruka-sensei, to Sarutobi, to Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi, Sasuke, Ino, Tenten...

_If not for my friends... If not for the people who saw me for more than a monster, I would be just like _him.

_Just like him!_

The Kyuubi's power stopped billowing around him. Naruto closed his eyes, frowning in concentration, before reopening them, free of the Kyuubi's taint.

"No," he said flatly. Gaara stared in disbelief.

"What?!"

"No... I don't have to. I don't _need_ to," Naruto replied, a slow, small smile emerging on his face. "Because I _see_ you now. I see what you are..."

He held up the Keyblade, as though presenting his enemy with an arcane salute.

"And I know that I'm going to beat you!" He roared, and charged. "_ZANKETSUKEN!"_

The defense-destroying attack sent Gaara flying into a tree, and Naruto curled into a ball and spun in the air, delivering a second blow to the Suna ninja as he uncurled like a spring. The tree trunk splintered apart as this additional strike sent Gaara through it, and Naruto managed to spring off the top half of the trunk to land gracefully on the ground.

"Ino! Sasuke! Get Sakura out of here, fast!" Naruto shouted, turned and rushing into the trees to continue the attack. Ino moved, rushing over to the struggling Sakura, and began to pry at the claw. Sasuke and Gamakichi stumbled over after, the former's groan and the latter's whistle alerting Ino to their presence.

"Ungh…"

"Whew! Baby, I take back nearly everything I said about you! From this angle you look a _lot_ better!" Gamakichi enthused. Ino shot him an angry scowl.

"If I had the chakra to waste, I would _end_ you," she snarled. She looked at Sakura. "Sakura? Sakura, can you hear me?"

The pink-haired girl wheezed, and slowly opened her eyes. "I… I couldn't," she tried, but Sasuke spoke up.

"Don't talk… Focus on breathing," he ordered. Sakura weakly glared up at him, making him raise an eyebrow but do nothing else save kneel down next to her.

"Think you could burn it off?" Ino asked. Sasuke shook his head.

"Not without burning her…"

"How? She's already _hot,"_ Gamakichi grinned. Ino deathglared him again, and the toad shrugged.

"What? It's a compliment!"

Sakura wheezed, and coughed.

"L-Look… Forget me… Naruto-HURK!" The claw's grip on the ground and it's captive tightened, pushing down harder against her body. Ino grit her teeth, and stood up.

"Well… Nothing for it…" She raised her staff up over her head, and focused on her magic. "_MIGHT!"_

Her body glowed for a moment, before she brought her staff down hard on the clawed hand. The surface splintered and shattered like glass, before instantly reforming. Ino groaned.

"Oh… What are we going to do?"

Sasuke grunted, and limped over to crouch above Sakura's body. He set his hands on her shoulders, and looked up at Ino.

"Attack the fingers," he said. "I'll try to pull her out before they can reform."

"Got it," Ino said, raising up her staff. "HIYAH!"

One finger broke, as did the second, but before Sasuke could yank Sakura out, the whole hand clenched down harder again, preventing him from getting her out. Ino growled, and began hitting the fingers in quicker succession.

Gamakichi looked up at the sky, and frowned. "Uh, guys?"

"Not now, toad!" Ino snarled.

"But, guys, the sky," Gamakichi tried again, as a formally blue sky turned black. The wind began to howl, and a chill permeated the air. Sasuke and Ino glanced up, and looked at each other. Ino shook her head. Sasuke grunted.

They continued their attempts to free Sakura, even as Gamakichi whimpered.

- - - - - - - - -

All across Konoha, the ninja began to stop fighting and look up. Jiraiya, leading the defense against Orochimaru's summons, followed suit grimly. Vivi, who had been using his magic to help the defenders, stared up with wide eyes.

"It's… It's happening… What happened to… To…" He couldn't finish. Jiraiya nodded.

"Yes…" He shook his head, and gave Vivi a smile. "Don't worry… You've lived through the end of one world… You can live through another."

"I… I don't know if I want to," Vivi mumbled. Jiraiya sighed, and wrapped an arm around Vivi's shoulders.

"Look… We either fight and die later, or die now. And I don't know about you, but I like to put things like that off until the last minute. So… How 'bout it, Vivi?"

The little black mage was silent for a moment, even as Heartless began appearing around Gamabunta's feet. The Toad Boss harrumphed.

"I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING…" He spun around, slashing apart dozens of the shadow demons with the sparks off his blade. Vivi yelped, hung on with one hand… And held out his other, regaining his focus.

"_FIRA!"_ Vivi shouted, firing a burst of flames to clear out a pack of Heartless down below. Jiraiya grinned, and formed handseals, unleashing a massive fireball down into the growing hordes.

_It's the end, Minato... Just how you said it would come..._ He laughed and unleashed a hellstorm of flames onto the growing swarms of Heartless. _But I can fight on, knowing that it won't be for nothing. Not in the end. Not if he can help it..._

- - - - - - - - - -

The wind howled like a demon through the forest, joining the roars and bellows of the two demon containers as they fought. Gaara's massive arms swung, extending out to try and trap or crush his smaller foe, but Naruto evaded, using superior speed and agility to tag Gaara's knees, neck and other joints with fast, furious strikes from the Keyblade.

The raging maelstrom of emotion within Gaara hampered his ability to fight-His mother couldn't assert herself fully, not against this foe. He was still only partially transformed, despite his rising rage, his rising bloodlust, his rising _fear._

Words weren't exchanged. Insults would only waste energy, and Naruto was forcing all his chakra into the Keyblade to enhance the power of his hits. It was funny-At full power, he had an enormous amount of trouble managing his chakra, but here on the edge of desperation, he was pushing and pulling and burning it with perfect efficiency.

"NARUUUUTOOO!" Gaara bellowed, unleashing another massive wind jutsu. Naruto yelped and tumbled, managing to slam a hand onto the ground and stick to it. He held on as the wind continued to pick up, and he looked through squinting eyes to see the source.

His eyes widened out of instinct, and then just as quickly narrowed in reaction to some dust hitting them.

"GAH!" He cried out, and rubbed his eyes with the back of his wrist. The Keyblade screamed a warning in his mind but it was too late-A massive, earthen fist slammed into his face and sent him crashing into a tree.

"SHIT!" Naruto cursed, blinking his eyes and managing to get a look around. He swore again when he saw that what he'd seen before wasn't just a result of the dust and debris.

Houses, trees, whole sections of the ground were beginning to rise with the howling wind. The sun was gone, the blue sky replaced with a dark, angry storm. All around him, in the shadows, tiny yellow eyes appeared, twitching, grasping claws reaching out to grab and plunder.

"Oh no…" Naruto groaned. "Oh no… What-What's going on?!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The worst part was Gaara, who leaped the distance between them and landed in the tree, slashing it apart with twin swipes of his claws. Naruto blocked one, but the other ripped across his chest, making him cry out as he was sent careening into a pack of Heartless.

He felt their claws on him, trying to get at his brightly burning heart-

"NO! STOP!" Naruto roared, kicking and hitting the creatures as hard as he could. He broke free, enough to plant his heel on the ground and spin like a top on his back, slashing through the Heartless surrounding him. He got back to his feet just in time to jump over another of Gaara's attacks. He landed and skidded to a halt, bending his knees, and he looked up at the insanely grinning Suna ninja, those yellow eyes glowing just like those of the Heartless.

"What the heck are you doing?!" Naruto shouted. "The whole world is going to pieces and you're _still_ fighting?!"

"OF COURSE I AM!" Gaara laughed, silicate maw dripping with saliva, voice at an unnaturally high pitch. "Such death… Such destruction… Can you feel it all, Uzumaki Naruto?! Can you feel the world falling into darkness?!" Gaara laughed again. "I'm already there! I've come HOME! I'M FREE! _FREEEEE!"_

_**Naruto…**_

Naruto blinked, and looked over Gaara's shoulder. His jaw dropped.

"_Ayame?!"_ Naruto shouted. The ramen waitress stood there in the trees, looking so sad, so mournful, and yet, like she wasn't even there. Her hair and clothing remained perfectly still despite the force of the wind.

_What in the-?!_ Naruto couldn't finish his thought, as Gaara attacked again. Naruto once more dodged, landing in a pool of Heartless that he quickly dispatched. He looked back for Ayame, but only saw that blonde Suna girl, hanging on for dear life to a tree as the winds whipped wildly around her, and Heartless scrambled up to grab her.

"Oh for-!" Naruto ran, bunting a few Heartless at Gaara before jumping up, high, and summoning his chakra and magic to the forefront. He turned in mid-air, facing away from Temari, and pointed the Keyblade in the same direction as his gaze.

"_FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!"_ He shouted, blasting himself back with as strong of spells as he could manage. Naruto ended up crashing into Temari, who screamed as they both headed for the ground with a thud.

"Get-Get off me!" Temari shouted, shoving Naruto away. She swiftly got up to her feet and swung her fan, letting loose a rather weak blast of wind to send a group of Heartless flying. Naruto got back up at the same time, slashing through several that attacked them from the other side.

"What the hell is going on?!" Temari demanded. "Why did you crash into me-?!"

"I was _trying_ to _save you!"_ Naruto shouted back. The Keyblade's warning went off, and Naruto grabbed the shrieking Temari around by her waist and jumped away as a salvo of _Suna Shuriken_ slammed into the ground where the two had stood mere moments before.

They landed, Naruto clumsily stumbling when Temari pushed him away. He turned and glared at her.

"Look! Does Gaara have an off button or what?!"

"He can't be stopped! Not at this stage!" Temari shouted back. "Why aren't you using your full power?! You were able to fight him just fine then!"

"I'm _not_ using that power!" Naruto replied, quickly swinging and taking out another pool of Heartless to rise around them. Temari groaned.

"Then we're all _dead!_"

"Yeah, including him!" Naruto shouted. "Not unless we make him _stop!"_

"What are you going to do?! What _can_ you do?!" Temari yelled back. Naruto growled in exasperation.

"SAVE THE WORLD?! WHAT ELSE?!"

"OH YEAH?!" Temari screamed back. "HOW?!"

"I CAN…!" Naruto shook his head and grabbed her shoulders. "ONE PROBLEM AT A TIME, OKAY?! HOW DO I STOP-?!"

Things abruptly became much darker. The shadows grew larger, and more and more yellow eyes appeared in their inky depths. Naruto found his gaze moving to the side… And up… And up…

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," he mumbled, staring up at the massive, black and tan shape of a giant, vaguely-tanuki-shaped giant with those same, burning yellow eyes. Temari shuddered in his grasp, and she slid to her knees. Naruto chanced a look at her face even though he knew what he would see-Her normally tanned, composed face, now pale with horror.

"He's awakened," she murmured. "_Ichibi…Shukaku…"_

_Ichibi… One tail…_ Naruto grimaced, and turned back to Temari. "Temari? TEMARI! Temari, how do I stop him?!"

"You can't," she whispered, shaking all over. "You _can't-!"_

"LOOK! Either we ALL die right now, or we stop him and figure out a way to stop this! WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE?!" Naruto roared. Temari shivered and looked up at the monster. Its burning gaze slowly searched below it, in no hurry to find its prey, insane ramblings and cackles carrying in the wind. Yet, even in the darkness, she could just barely see the red head of her brother, slumped unconscious above, black energy swirling and entwining him. She closed her eyes and tried not to whimper in the face of death, or worse.

"TEMARI!" Naruto yelled again. The Suna princess opened her eyes and licked her lips.

"You… You have to get to Gaara… You have to wake him up… You have to get him out of there!" She managed. Naruto nodded.

"Just… Find someplace to hide…" An apartment building went flying above them. They looked back at each other, and Naruto shrugged. "If you can…"

Perhaps it was their proximity, the boy being the only source of warmth she could feel at all as the sky turned black and the world began to come apart. Maybe it was that steely determination in his eyes. Maybe she just didn't want to die without experiencing a last bit of precious affection, which had been denied her ever since her mother died. For whatever reason, maybe one, maybe them all… Temari quickly moved up and gave Naruto a kiss on the lips.

"For luck," she muttered at the shocked blush on his face. "NOW GET GOING!" Temari unsealed her fan and swung, knocking Naruto up high into the air towards the looming form of Shukaku.

"WOOOOAAAAAHHHHH!" Naruto shouted, but he managed to get over his shock and orient himself, again, with his back to his destination. "_FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! FI-OOF!"_

He felt himself slam into what felt like a solid wall of sand, that began to squirm and try to grab him. The Keyblade as his guide, Naruto flipped himself to his feet, sticking to the belly of the great beast with chakra. Wasting no time he began running up the sheer surface as fast as he could, sand threatening to grab him every step of the way.

"_**LOOK! LOOK! HAHAHAHA! IT TICKLES! I'LL KILL THE TICKLE!"**_Shukaku screeched above him, and ultra sharp spikes erupted all over the silicate skin of the beast. Naruto powered through, sliding, skating, leaping and slashing his way through the obstacles. He'd reached the chest, within sight of the massive head, when Shukaku grinned at him.

"_**I SEE YOU! I SEE YOU, SOMEONE-I-WANT-TO-KILL!"**_ He yelled, his breath nearly knocking Naruto off his feet. Naruto kept going, raising the Keyblade up to block the wind as best he could, teeth gritting in exertion. He felt his grip on the sand eroding, felt his chakra continue to dwindle…

"_**I'M GOING TO SUCK YOU UP AND EAT YOU!"**_ Shukaku laughed, and began to do just that, the breeze abruptly switching directions and pulling Naruto towards the gaping maw. Naruto grunted, slamming his heels into the sand skin, but it was no use-He lost his grip and went tumbling into the mouth of the beast, which shut tightly.

"_**YUM! ORANGE FLAVORED!"**_ The demon cackled. He looked around, intent on his next victim-When he heard a muffled shout inside him, and felt his right eye explode.

"_**GYAH?!"**_ He roared. Pain wasn't something he usually experienced! It had been so long since he'd even been _hurt!_ It was this, this hesitation on Shukaku's part, which allowed Naruto to jump to the top of the demon's head.

_Gah… I'm bleeding… _Naruto thought as he kept running, breathing hard, his heart pounding in his ears. Only twenty steps to his goal.

_I'm tired…_

Fifteen, sand spikes began to emerge to protect the slumped Gaara, but Naruto simply jumped over them. Ten steps.

_I'm almost out of chakra…_

Nine… Eight…

_But I…_

Seven, six, five steps, and tentacles lashed out. One caught his wrist, but he kept going, pulling against it, digging in his heels…

_I will…_

Four steps, three, another tentacle caught his ankle. He switched the Keyblade to his free hand, slashed it off, staggering forward.

_I will NOT…_

Two steps… His ankles and waist were restrained. He could hear Gaara's breathing. He took a deep breath, and pulled back his arm, the Keychain jingling.

_I will NOT…_

"GIVE… UP!" Naruto shouted, and threw the Keyblade right at Gaara's head. The weapon struck true, knocking Gaara conscious again with a loud cry as the dark curls of energy released him. The tentacles released Naruto, and the whole vast structure of the monster below them began to come apart. Shukaku groaned.

"_**NOO! NOOO! I DON'T WANT TO GO! I DON'T WANT TO! YOU CAN'T… ARRRGGHHH…!"**_

Shukaku crumbled around them, the strong winds carrying the sand away into the dark sky. Gaara stared at Naruto in complete shock as the two boys tumbled into the storm. The blonde stared back in defiance and tired, exhausted triumph, while the redhead just gaped in utter disbelief.

_He… He beat me… All of that, without using his other power… His demon… And he… Beat me?!_

Gaara had a new problem though. He could feel the darkness aching to draw him in, to smother him in it's depths, just as Shukaku had been trying to do. Eating away at his soul as he slumbered, a nightmare from which he could not wake. Green eyes wide in panic, he flailed about, a tree trunk sailing past.

"NO! NO! YOU CAN'T TAKE ME! YOU CAN'T-!" He screamed desperately, trying to summon his sand to his aid, but to no avail-Shukaku was reeling, unable to give its container any protection.

One of his flailing arms was caught in a strong grip, and Gaara looked fearfully at the roughed up, grim visage of Naruto Uzumaki.

"LET GO! LET GO! WHAT ARE YOU-?!" He tried, before Naruto pointed the Keyblade away from him at an angle.

"_FIRE!"_ He roared, and a blast of flames from the weapon sent the two spinning. Naruto gritting his teeth, flexing in mid-air, until he could spot what looked like the ground. With a grunt, he threw Gaara as hard as he could against the wind. The redhead tumbled, the look in the other boy's eyes burned into his memory.

Another arm wrapped around his waist, and in shock Gaara looked to see his sister, riding the winds with her fan, holding onto him tightly. He could barely hear her words over the storm, but he didn't need to. He saw her intentions, and was unable to understand.

_She's trying to save me… She's trying to keep my existence continuing…_

Another thought hit Gaara as Temari tried to keep them clear of the flying debris and chaos around them:

_She looks just like _he_ did…_

- - - - - - - - - -

Down below, Ino, Gamakichi and Sasuke all found new problems to deal with, in the form of Heartless. Ino, being the only one with any power left, fought them off as best she could while Sasuke hacked away at the sand claw. Abruptly, just as Sasuke was about to give up, the sand dissolved, and the Uchiha was barely able to keep himself from accidentally cutting Sakura with his weapon.

"SAKURA!" He shouted over the roaring winds. The pink-haired girl looked up at him, weak, pale… And smiled.

"It's okay, Sasuke… I know… What I have to do," she murmured, hair turning dark red and eyes glowing green. A wave of darkness erupted around her, like a hot spring bursting to life, and Sasuke instinctively pulled back.

"SAKURA!" He shouted again, reaching into the blackness, trying to grasp her hand. He didn't get a grip on Sakura, but something got one on him, and with his eyes wide, Sasuke was pulled into the swollen abyss.

"SASUKE!" Ino shouted. Gamakichi jumped up to Ino's shoulder.

"LOOK OUT!" He shouted back, and Ino swung around, barely whacking away a Heartless that had nearly gotten her. Fearfully, she looked at the toad, who looked back with equal fear.

"SASUKE AND SAKURA JUST-!" She tried, but the toad interrupted her.

"WE CAN'T HELP THEM!"

"DAMNIT! ARE YOU ANY USE AT ALL?!" Ino screamed back. Gamakichi set his mouth in a thin line, and shrugged.

"In one way," he said. He concentrated, severed the link between himself and his summoner, and in a poof of smoke both he and the blonde kunoichi vanished.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Hinata had lost sight of Tenten in the abrupt storm, debris of all kinds blowing through the air around her. She had been forced to grab hold of the ground, chakra sticking her and keeping her from blowing away with the rest of everything around her. She kept her eyes shut, relying on the Byakugan to see what was going on around her.

It was not encouraging, to say the least.

The air itself was charged with black energy, magic that her senses could detect. A dark sense of horror accompanied it, as though looking into a vast pit that you were falling down into, deeper, and deeper. The vibrant background chakra every Hyuuga was taught to perceive and filter out of their observations was fading, guttering in the storm like a candle.

_The world…_ It hit her in a flash. _The world is dying…_

Hinata bit back a sob of fear, of hopelessness, but only succeeded once. Tears flew away from her closed eyes, apology after apology screamed in her mind.

_I'm sorry Father! I'm sorry Tenten! I'm sorry, Shino, Kiba, Akamaru! I'm sorry Kurenai-sensei! I'm so, so sorry, Naruto! If only… If only…!_

The wind was blocked, and Hinata managed to make out a bright, glowing shape through her amazing eyes. What looked like wings spread out from behind the figure as it approached, but Hinata could see no other details. She dared to open her eyes, as she got to her feet. What she saw almost made her want to fall back down again.

"M-Mary Poppins?!" She called out. A whack to her knuckles by an umbrella made her wince. "OW!"

"Miss Poppins, if you please," the woman said briskly, as though she were out for a morning walk. "Now, come along, spit spot. This is no place for you or me."

"But… B-But what about… How are you-?" Hinata tried, but Mary held up a hand to silence her.

"I will answer your questions when we are safe. It will do you no good to perish with curiosity satisfied."

"B-B-But everyone-What about everyone?! What ab-bout N-Naru-?!" Hinata tried again, but a stern look from Mary Poppins cut her off yet again. This was a woman who was not in the least bit perturbed by a gigantic, world ending storm. Thus, it was obvious who Hinata paid attention to.

"If he feels as strongly for you as you do him… Or for _anyone_ or _anything,"_ Mary stated, "he will survive. Now come."

Still uncertain, but having few options, Hinata meekly following Mary Poppins, a bubble of serenity and safety surrounding them as the rest of the world died.

Even so, she never turned off her Byakugan, never stopped looking for anyone, even when they reached a doorway standing sans house in the middle of the devastation, and the darkness-consumed remnants of Konoha faded into gentle, soothing light…

- - - - - - - - -

Naruto could no longer see the ground. Oh, sure, he could see _parts_ of it floating around him, but not the actual ground itself. All around was a dark abyss, bizarre red and yellow lights flashing through clouds of debris. Naruto closed his eyes.

_Great… Just great… I beat Neji, I beat Gaara… The world _still_ ends._ _What the hell?_

"What do I do now?" He muttered. He reopened his eyes, and looked around.

_How can I still breathe? _Naruto pondered, eyes straining to find something, _anything_ recognizable…

But there was nothing: Just the rumbling of the storm, and the sound of the wind.

Which quickly began to get louder, and louder, like a giant drain.

_Or a giant monster sucking his breath in to try and eat you,_ he realized, and looked up. Like a cosmic drain, a giant hole in space appeared above him, matter swirling into it like the ramen broth down his throat.

"Like… The abyss wasn't bad enough," he groaned. A telephone pole drifted by and he reached out with the Keyblade, catching onto it. With another groan he kicked off the wooden pole, reaching out for another piece of debris, trying to hop and swing his way away from the whirlpool.

_Just keep jumping,_ Naruto thought. _That drain can't keep pulling me in forever…!_

A table was his mount next, followed by a large boulder, an actual springboard… Every piece of junk that floated his way, Naruto managed to get to, never looking back, his spirits actually improving a little despite everything.

_Yeah! I can beat this! No way I can stop now! Nope! Nope! Can't stop! Won't stop!_

Five minutes later…

_Gah… So hungry… Can't… Jump… Again…_

He still jumped, this time grabbing onto a very small, familiar-looking shack. Naruto tiredly tried to jump one last time, straining his exhausted muscles for one last, defiant leap…

He foot caught on something, and he ended up slamming against the roof of the shack. He groaned, and looked down.

"Oh, _come on,"_ he moaned as he identified the building at last-A ramen bar. His foot was caught in the rope on the "Open for Business" sign. Resigned, he turned his eyes to look into the maw of the hole, more and more material falling in ahead of him.

"This…" He began, giving the Keyblade a venom-filled glare. "Is totally, completely, one _hundred percent YOUR FAU-!"_

Naruto and the steamboat crossed the dark horizon of the maw. He could see, hear, _and feel_ billions upon billions of stars all around him, a bright light at the end of a tunnel…

Darkness fell, and he knew no more.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_**KEY THROUGH THE HEART - BEGIN**_

- - - - - - - - - - - -

_And that's the end of the world. Took me a while but four days shy of my 23__rd__ birthday, it's out. Konoha is gone. Naruto's friends have vanished, their fates, for now, unknown. And a road of uncertainty lies ahead._

_The journey has just begun._

_Thanks for being so patient for the world hopping to begin. It's been a long time coming, but at last, the second act is here. And now, some omakes by me. Again, I encourage anyone who wants to to submit omakes so that they will appear in the fic, eventually:_

Naruto and Shakespeare

_Yeah! I can beat this! No way I can stop now! Nope! Nope! Can't stop! Won't stop!_

Five minutes later…

_Gah… So hungry… Can't… Jump… Again…_

He still jumped, this time grabbing onto a very small, familiar-looking shack. Naruto tiredly tried to jump one last time, straining his exhausted muscles for one last, defiant leap…

He foot caught on something, and he ended up slamming against the roof of the shack. He groaned, and looked down.

"Oh, _come on,"_ he moaned as he identified the building at last-A ramen bar. His foot was caught in the rope on the "Open for Business" sign.

"_Es tu, _ramen?_"_ Naruto asked. "Thus falls, Naruto!"

"It's _Et tu,_ idiot. _ET TU!"_ The ramen bar corrected. "Learn the damn language or don't speak it!"

"Well Ceasar was himself speaking Greek, which would not have been his first language, which is why it was rendered in English as Latin," Naruto replied, annoyed.

"… shut up."

"HA! I win!" Naruto cheered, just as he and the ramen bar were swallowed up by the abyss.

Orochimaru's Other Master Plan, inspired by Gullwhacker

"Why... You haven't figured it out yet, Sensei? Why would I expend all my forces and the forces of one of your closest allies in a simple attempt at revenge?" He giggled, and Sarutobi felt white hot rage boil through him.

"You...!" Sarutobi sighed, feeling his strength leave him. "You're after the Keyhole."

"Why... You're not surprised, Sarutobi?" Orochimaru asked mockingly. "Sure, it wasn't quite my idea to begin with, but I enjoy letting Kabuto think he has any real power." He licked his lips and smiled more widely, madness burning in his eyes.

"After all... In the end, I know who holds his leash."

Sarutobi gaped... And then shook his head in utter disbelief.

"You've been pretending, all this time, that this duel was all that mattered... Even though you knew I couldn't leave this box to stop your true plan... For what?" Sarutobi asked.

"Did you think this was the only attack, old man? Other Sound ninjas are taking over power companies throughout the world as I speak. With the Keyhole under my control, darkness will fill the world, lighting bills will go through the roof, and the world will be under my control!" Orochimaru cackled.

"Except for where the Darkness consumes everything and destroys the world, leaving you with nothing."

"...wait, what?"

A giant Heartless promptly ate Orochimaru.


	35. Traverse Town

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"

_Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_

**"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer:__ I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

- - - - - - - - - - -

Steam wafted up and out of the fryer, carrying a tantalizing aroma through the air. It made the clear, spring air even better: Nature, warm sun, and the scent of cooking ramen.

Naruto opened his eyes, and looked around. He was sitting at the Ichiraku ramen bar, as he did nearly every day. He turned on his stool, and lifted one of the flags sheltering the entrance. Yes, the sun was out, the sky was clear and blue without a cloud to be seen.

A pleasant, if kind of melancholy musical tune could be faintly heard, the sound of strumming strings filling the air. Naruto looked around a few more times, before the sound of a bowl being set on a wooden surface brought his eyes forward.

Behind the bar was Ayame, giving him that familiar smile of hers, the steam of a hearty bowl of ramen wafting in front of her. It was a view Naruto knew almost intimately, a series of images that could be arranged like a flip-book film. From Ayame a little older than he was now, the friendly, warm girl who was his big sister; to the woman she'd become.

Ayame hummed along with the tune as looked at him, her smile never leaving her face. Naruto reached for chopsticks, quickly rolling some of the noodles into a ball, and bringing it to his mouth. The ramen tasted… Perfect. Each noodle was the perfect texture, perfectly soaked in the broth, and the broth! It flowed over his tongue, exciting every taste bud, inducing a happy hum from the genin's throat.

He stared at the bowl of ramen before him, and swallowed. He then looked up into the smiling face of Ayame, big brown eyes still… _Alive._ He didn't know how else to put it, but he knew it was really, truly _Ayame_, and not just a dream.

Naruto sighed, and shook his head.

"Ayame… Are we…" He paused, but gained the strength to continue. "Dead?"

Ayame leaned over the counter, looking extremely serious. Naruto's spirits fell, collapsing into a cold pit in his stomach. She took a deep, dramatic breath.

"You'll get to eat my ramen... _Foreverrrr_," she said, drawing out the last word in as spooky a manner as possible. Naruto shuddered, and then glared at her.

"Ayame!"

The ramen waitress giggled, and scooted a bit over the counter in order to press a kiss to his forehead. Naruto blushed, taking away any power his indignant expression might have held.

"Sorry, sorry," she apologized, managing to get her giggles under control. She smiled impishly. "I just love to tease you. You're so cute!"

Naruto sighed, but couldn't help a small grin.

"Always the same Ayame-chan."

"Mmhm," she confirmed, nodding. Naruto blinked at her curiously.

"So… If we're not dead, then what is this?" He scowled in confusion. "I saw… I mean…" He trailed off, biting his lower lip.

"I'm… I'm sorry, Ayame. I couldn't stop it," he said. Ayame smiled back at him, and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"It's all right, Naruto… You fought as hard as you could… And you saved more than you know."

"More than I know?" Naruto asked. Ayame nodded.

"As for where you are… You're dreaming." She leaned over the counter and gave him a friendly smile. "It's time to wake up."

Ayame stuck her tongue out of her mouth, licked her lips, and then proceeded to lick Naruto's cheek. The blonde flushed an even deeper red at this contact.

"Ah… A-Ayame? What are you…?"

She kept licking him, and Naruto's senses began to get several conflicting messages. Her breath was warm, but it sounded like panting. There was a comfortable stool underneath his butt-No, hard stone. Ayame, formally smelling like Ayame, a comforting, familiar mixture of _woman_ and ramen, now smelled like…

He closed his eyes, and reopened them. Ayame was gone. In her place was-

"DOG!" Naruto shouted, a foot instinctively kicking out at the animal. The dog yelped and jumped back, giving Naruto a very indignant look.

Naruto felt a hard brick wall against his back, and his eyes darted around. He was in a dark alley, brick-built, with ground paved with round, slightly-mismatched stones. The lights of a city shown into the night time sky above, casting shadows across the alley that looked more than a little menacing. His gaze focused on the dog.

It was a brownish-yellow dog with black ears and big eyes. He looked a little unusual, but nothing Naruto could put his finger on.

"Eeugh... Thanks a lot, mutt," Naruto grunted. The dog barked at him twice, before turning with a jingle of its red collar and tag and running off. Naruto stared after it, and slowly got up with a groan.

"Stupid dog," he muttered. He'd never been very fond of dogs-Mainly because they'd never been fond of him. More than one canine, ninja or otherwise, had been set after him as he'd grown up, which tended to leave a negative viewpoint of the animals after a while.

He shook his head and walked out of the alley, finding himself looking out on a large square. Blocking it in was a huge wall with large, heavy gates currently opened. Dozens of people walked around, the buzz of conversation in the air. Even so, it was strangely quiet as Naruto walked into the crowd. As though everyone was afraid to speak up too loudly, or move too quickly.

"OOF!"

He ran into a large man in a white coat, with loose, dark blue garments on underneath. Naruto looked up to the man's annoyed face, short, light-red curly hair decorating his head and face in the form of a slightly ragged beard.

"Well gee, Alice, aren't we in a hurry? Scared you might miss that extra-special sale on new shoes?"

"Uh…" Naruto replied intelligently, looking confused. "Um… My name is Naruto, actually."

"Narudo?" The man tried.

"Nar_uto_," Naruto corrected, looking annoyed. The man shook his head and brushed past him, making Naruto stumble. "HEY!"

"Look, Newbie, I'd love to stay and chat but I do have things to do, so, unless you happen to be dying I can't help you," the man replied flatly, white coat flaring out behind him as he strode swiftly away. Naruto followed.

"Naruto. And I'm not dying but-!"

The man whistled loudly at Naruto over his shoulder, and shot him a broad, mocking smile.

"Look, Kiddo, can you read?"

"Uh… Yes?" Naruto said, blinking.

"Then why don't you give that big, obvious sign over there a looksie, huh Dorothy?"

"Naruto!" Naruto corrected again, looking over at the sign the unpleasant man pointed to. His eyes focused on the wooden sign, the words at first meaning nothing. Then, as though the words themselves noticed this, they seemed to shift in his view; and Naruto comprehended.

**TRAVERSE TOWN FIRST DISTRICT**

"Traverse Town? Where's Traverse Town?" Naruto thought aloud.

"When you figure that out, feel free to tell someone less annoying, so they can tell me, okay?" The man asked, before turning and heading quickly away. Naruto stared after him, and scowled.

"Look! Get back here you jerk, I'm not done with you!"

He followed the man down a street. The man refused to slow down, so Naruto began walking alongside him.

"Look, Newbie, I don't have time to deal with you. Go to one of the information desks or one of the other myriad people wandering aimlessly through this godforsaken place for answers."

"Why? You're here, aren't you?" Naruto retorted. "And it's _Naruto!"_

"I'm _not_ here. In fact I'm trying to get _there_ instead of _here_ as fast as I can go. See?" The man raised his hands out and indicated his feet. He turned a corner, Naruto doggedly following.

"Yeah, but you've been a jerk to me for absolutely no reason! You owe me answers for that!" Naruto responded. The man rolled his eyes.

"What, are you Buddhist or something? Revisit karma on someone else."

"Look! I just want some freaking information!" Naruto shouted, moving in front of the man and holding up his Keyblade to bar his way. He scowled defiantly up into the equally angry face of the man. A tense silence lasted for a moment, the man's eyebrow twitching and an unpleasant smile growing on his face that made Naruto want to back away just a bit.

"Fine. I'm Dr. Perry Cox, Traverse Town's only actual doctor, which as you can imagine makes me very busy because everyone else who _pretend_ to be doctors screw up and screw around with people in ways even their happily sparkling magic can't fix. Traverse Town is where you are, the dead smack center of nowhere, the kitchen table floor of the universe where the leftovers that infinitely dark, infinitely unfathomable horrors failed to masticate in their endless hunger. You're here because _one_ of those nightmares decided your happy, healthy world would make for a good snack, and, guess what? You were lucky enough to be spat out into this dump. So, feel free to head off, sob your little blue eyes out at the loss of everything and anyone you have ever known, feel free to get a little or a _lot_ drunk to try and burn out the grief and sorrow, and then either die in a gutter or decide to go be useful so that you don't go absolutely, totally _insane._" His grin widened just a bit more at that.

"That enough information for ya, Alice?"

"N-Naruto… And yeah," Naruto returned in a wavering tone. The doctor stared hard for a few moments longer, and then sighed, reaching up to rub the back of his head. Naruto looked away, staring at some small insect scuttling around the cobblestones that made up the street.

"… Come on," Cox said flatly. Naruto looked up at him, blinking.

"Huh?"

"I said come on. I know some people who can show you around town… Get you set up…"

Naruto stared for a bit longer at Doctor Cox, prompting the doctor to scowl again.

"I know it's huge, Mary Sue, but you just can't stare with such a gosh darn big mouth open; it'll give people ideas!" Cox said. Naruto blinked.

"Huh?"

Cox sighed, and reached up to rub his temples. "Ohhh… Déjà vu… Such painful memories…"

Naruto had nothing to say to that. Clearly, this guy had issues.

"Okay, I'm going to level with you in such a way that you can understand, all right? Follow me. Me _friend._ Me lead you to nice safe place! Me lead you to fire! You help protect fire, you _get_ fire!"

"… What was that you said about not going absolutely insane?" Naruto asked after a long pause. Doctor Cox sighed.

"Just come on, Jasmine…"

"Naruto."

"Whatever."

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Leon…"

"…"

"Leeeeooonnn…"

"…"

"Leeeeeooooooonnnnn..."

Leon took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Yuffie imagined he was counting to five, and on the dot he reopened them up to look at Yuffie. The nubile kunoichi was hanging upside-down, legs wrapped around a ceiling beam. She beamed cheerfully at him.

He just stared at her, as though hoping she was simply a hallucination he could banish by brooding long enough at it.

"Leon! I'm bored," she announced.

"I'm busy," he stated.

"Polishing your sword again?" Yuffie asked, snickering. Leon looked back at the workbench, his gunblade laid out, and the revolver parts disassembled for regular maintenance.

_Just don't react… Don't give her anything to use…_ She knew he was thinking things like that. Why did nobody seem to remember that she could turn anything into innuendo? It was like trapping a punch, it was second nature to her.

"You're always spending so much time doing it alone, you know. Can't be healthy for you," Yuffie teased, grin widening. Leon closed his eyes again.

"Seriously Leon, I'm bored! Aerith is out, so is Cid-!"

"Go bother Merlin."

"I don't want to be turned into a weasel… Again," she finished the sentence in a quieter tone. Leon's lip twitched.

"Sooo, I decided to come by and brighten your day, by having you entertain moi, the greatest ninja ever! C'mon, show me your stuff!"

Leon stared at her. Yuffie stared back. Leon turned back to his gunblade and resumed maintenance.

"Boo! Booo! Let's see some skin!" Yuffie whined.

"'See some skin?'" Leon had to ask. The ninja shrugged.

"Oh, right, since the BDSM jokes don't work, I'm experimenting with male strippers. And yes, that came out exactly the way I wanted."

Leon rolled his eyes. Yuffie grinned.

"Well, since Short Pants isn't here, I have to go to my old standby," Yuffie explained cheerfully, though there was a little bit of forced cheer in her eyes. Leon looked over at her, wearing what she'd come to recognize as a questioning expression from him. To anyone else, it might have looked like he was squinting a little.

Yuffie, fortunately, was well-versed in the language of Grump-ese.

"Well… I just worry a little about 'im, you know? He's nearly as much fun to tweak as you are."

Leon raised an eyebrow. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"Well, he's _more_ fun since he actually has hormones, whereas you seem to spend your brooding time trying to figure out how to reproduce asexually and divide like a cell."

A scowl.

"Oh don't give me that look! It's probably crossed your mind at least once. Double your non-pleasure, double your non-fun, you can practice your scowling like never before! Anyway, sure, I'm a little worried about Short Pants. He picked up a lot of stuff quickly… With that seal sapping on him, it's good to give him as much strength to use as possible to balance it, right? But I remember how you said how he had darkness inside him, he might do anything for power for his revenge, blah blah blah…"

Leon snorted. Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"I know, I know, we promised to stop bringing up that 'test' of yours… Well actually, Aerith promised to only bring it up if you did something really, really stupid like that again… _Anyway,_ like I said, I just worry, 'cause that seal's chakra inside is just…" She shivered, not in the least bit theatrically.

"It felt… It felt like one of the bigger Heartless, when it was ripping out some poor guy's heart…"

Leon's lip twitched. Yuffie began to swing back and forth.

"I know, I know, this must be hilarious to you, me expressing real heartfelt emotions that don't have to do with how I'd like to cook those bastard nephews of Scrooge's for turning my room pink or how I love to tease you, but… I dunno…" She looked away towards the window, up at the night sky. It was still very visible, even in a heavily populated place like Traverse Town. The lights were kept low, as though too much would bring the full might of the Heartless down upon them.

"… I had an older sister…" Leon said quietly. Yuffie looked at him. He shrugged.

"I think I did… It's… Hard to remember sometimes."

"Yeah," Yuffie agreed quietly.

"I didn't know her very well… But she was often there, keeping watch over me just the same… Never drawing too close…" Leon trailed off. He looked at Yuffie, who shrugged back.

"It sucks huh? The feelings, the emotions, the people are there, they're just… Jumbled up… Like a puzzle missing pieces."

Leon grunted his assent. Yuffie sighed.

"So… Your sister… She watched over you, huh?"

"As much as she could," Leon said. "She kept her distance… I guess… She just didn't want to get close to me, in case I… I ended up like the others she loved."

"… Yeah," Yuffie murmured. "Guess that… That's why a lot of people just want to be alone, huh?"

Leon was silent, but it was assenting silence. Something out the window caught the ninja's eye.

A star near Traverse Town's solitary moon glowed brightly for a few moments, twenty times its original magnitude, before fading into nothingness. Yuffie's breath hitched. Leon stared, the silence turning more tense.

"… Another one," Yuffie murmured. Leon nodded slowly.

"Still a lot left," he said quietly.

- - - - - - - - - - -

"What the-3,000 munny?! Are you kidding me?!" Donald Duck snarled. Cid Highwind snorted down at the short, agitated looking duck mage.

"You have any idea how big your Gummi Ship is? Or how much it'll cost to repair the damage done to it's hull? This is the only dock that will fit it, and it's scraping the sides. This thing requires top of the line gummi materials, and it's not going to come cheap. Besides, the new docks aren't done yet. I need more coinage to pay workers to finish them."

"Can't the Moogles do it?" Donald asked. Cid growled.

"They're even more expensive… Need specific things for various rituals… Look, Duck, we're grateful to Disney Castle for helpin' us out, but we still need to eat. And munny's the only thing that keeps things running around here."

Donald groaned. "Okay, okay, fine… Here," the duck said grudgingly, handing over the necessary amount of coinage in a bag. Cid inspected the sum, and nodded with a smirk.

"Nice doing business with you," he said, turning and walking out of the hangar. Goofy walked up next to Donald, and patted his shoulder.

"Aw, cheer up Donald! So we'll have to tighten our belts for a while. Won't do too much harm."

"Yeah, but that's all the munny we had on hand," Donald sighed. "We can't even buy some food."

"Well, maybe somebody'd let us start a tab, ya know?" Goofy suggested. "Or you could shoot off some spells, entertain some people?"

"Maybe…"

Donald looked back at the Gummi ship, his frown deepening. "… Where's Pluto?"

Goofy looked around the hangar, scratching his head. "Uh oh…"

Donald sighed. "C'mon. We'd better find him before he causes any trouble…" He padded out of the hangar, Goofy close on his heels.

Back in the ship, Chip sighed and leaned in his chair, raising his arms up to stretch. "Nngh! Boy, that was a long flight."

"Mmhm. The longest flight with this particular class," Gadget confirmed with a smile. "Golly, we're getting so much useful data!"

"Yeah, like how NOT to run the ship," Chip chuckled. Gadget shrugged.

"In order to do things right, you need to know how to do things wrong. That's what my dad always said." She smiled at him, but Chip still looked disgruntled.

"The Interspace Drive's holding together nicely, but that's all it's doing," the chipmunk said.

"Well, it is a reconnaissance model," Gadget said. "Designed for the long haul, and nothing fancy."

"Yeah… Though after having to fight through a few of those Heartless ships, I kind of wish we'd gone with a more combat-oriented loadout," Chip mused. "We've got the edge for now-Most of their ships can be blown away with a single shot-But if we start coming up against bigger ones…"

Gadget stretched out a paw and laid it comfortingly on Chip's. The chipmunk looked back at her. The mouse smiled.

"We'll make it," she said. "We built this ship to do anything, remember?"

"_You_ built it to do anything. I just made sure Dale didn't add on anything we'd regret later," the chipmunk replied with a smirk. Gadget giggled.

"Oh c'mon… The racing stripes were not _that_ bad."

"Not much better than the flames…"

- - - - - - - - - - -

"Are we there yet?"

Dr. Cox didn't reply. Naruto glowered.

"Are we there yet?"

Still no reply.

Naruto sighed. "Are we there yet?"

"If we were, Dorothy, you'd know," Dr. Cox finally answered in a flat tone, as he and Naruto continued their trek through the town streets.

"How?"

"Because I would be able to leave. And trust me, Newbie, the sheer joy I would feel at that would be detectable across the whole of this planet."

"Geez… Am I really that annoying?" Naruto asked. Dr. Cox pursed his lips, thought about it…

"Yes. Yes you are."

"You've only known me for like, what, thirty minutes?" Naruto asked incredulously.

"Yes. And in that time, you've come to annoy me. Congratulations, you've managed to last longer than most. But, you've seen fit to make up the difference. Quality of annoyance, if there is such a thing, over quantity."

"Maybe if you answered my questions once in a while, I wouldn't _be_ as annoying!" Naruto retorted. They passed through a gateway, reaching a large, wide-open square with a tall white tower on the other end of it.

"Second District. Shops, the hotel, the gizmo shop up there, and sometimes an open market," Dr. Cox said. "Pretty basic."

"Where is everyone?" Naruto asked, looking around. Dr. Cox sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Where do you think? Somewhere else. Heartless crawl all over this place. You can't go through here without a weapon or some magic." He held up an arm. On his wrist was a blue and yellow ribbon over a silver bracelet.

"Hey, I've seen one of those before," Naruto said. "My friend Hinata wore… Wears one."

"Well, good for her," Cox stated flatly. "_Protect."_

The doctor's body gained a red aura, which flared into existence for a few moments before fading away.

"Now, listen. We're going to go across at a nice, easy pace. No sudden movements, no talking, no strong emotions, got it?" Dr. Cox ordered. Naruto nodded.

"Got it."

That done, Dr. Cox strode out into the district, and Naruto followed.

All around them, a dozen Heartless emerged from the shadows, glowing yellow eyes shining in the night.

"What in the-?" Dr. Cox raised a foot and brought it down hard on the head of one, smashing it into dust. The Keyblade flashed into Naruto's hand, and with a quick cue from it he slashed through three of the little demons. With a growl, Dr. Cox punched through another Heartless that tried to pounce on him, and threw another one that latched itself to his back over his head and into another of it's fellows.

"Okay, forget what I said! RUN!" Dr. Cox shouted. Dozens of additional Heartless were appearing all around them, and Dr. Cox took off, running for the railing that ran around the District's lower terrace. Naruto followed, slashing through a few more Heartless on the way.

"GO!" Cox shouted, climbing over the railing and jumping down to the lower level. Naruto followed, barreling over the railing and twisting in mid-air.

He landed on one hand and flipped back to his feet, turning to run. He froze at a cue from the Keyblade and turned back, seeing Dr. Cox hunched over. Several Heartless leapt over the railing as more appeared in the courtyard itself.

"Dr. Cox!" Naruto shouted, running over and quickly slashing through two Heartless about to pounce on the doctor. Cox wheezed and stood up slowly, gritting his teeth.

"Damnit… My back," he groaned. He pressed his hand against it, and focused. "_Cure!"_

A flash of green light relieved his pain, but already the two were surrounded again. Naruto growled and quickly slashed through several of the tiny monsters, and Dr. Cox put his _Protect_ spell to good use, using the protective barrier it granted against the Heartless. Naruto growled, and formed a handseal.

"_Kage Bunshin no jutsu!"_ He shouted. _POOF!_ "Huh?!"

Only a single clone, looking as surprised as Naruto felt, appeared in the midst of the Heartless, and was quickly taken down by the Heartless. Naruto grit his teeth and focused his magic, pointed in front of him.

"_FIRE!"_ He bellowed, and unleashed a small fireball that nevertheless incinerated several Heartless. Unfortunately, more and more were beginning to converge, to the point that Naruto just went for pure melee attacks, jumping and slashing and cutting through them while staying near Dr. Cox.

"You know something I don't, Newbie?!" Dr. Cox shouted.

"What does that mean?!" Naruto shouted back, throwing the Keyblade spinning through a pair of Heartless and recalling it to slash through two more behind him.

"Why do these things like you so much?!" Cox shouted back.

"Me?! What about your charming personality!" Naruto yelled, obeying the Keyblade's commands and spinning around, dispatching three more Heartless.

"I only attract annoyances! And women!" Dr. Cox grabbed a Heartless by the leg and swung it around, using it as a club. "Usually both at the same time!"

"Well, why don't you just-!" Naruto's retort was cut short by a very, _very_ large object landing in the middle of the courtyard.

"WHOA!" Naruto rolled back to his feet, having been knocked flying. He stared incredulously at the giant purple…thing. It seemed composed of six parts, all sections of giant armor. It's helmet had it's faceplate down, with several tiny holes hinting at a pair of shining yellow eyes behind it.

"What the HELL is that?!" He shouted. Dr. Cox groaned, having been sent into the modest fountain that made up most of the gate-facing wall of the courtyard.

"Damnit… Not the Guard Armor again…"

Naruto grit his teeth and looked back up at the giant Heartless, which raised up a hand and brought it down on the ground hard, sending out another shockwave that knocked Naruto off his feet. Using the Keyblade's cues, he curled into a ball and landed on his feet, just in front of Dr. Cox.

"How do you beat it?" Naruto shouted.

"Well… Hitting it might be a good start," Cox got out.

"Yeah, that's REALLY helpful!"

"Hey… It says "Doctor" on my name tag, not monster slayer," Cox retorted.

Naruto spun the Keyblade around by its chain and threw it as hard as he could at the Guard Armor's face. The weapon struck true, but bounced off, merely making the goliath's head snap back. Naruto recalled the Keyblade and scowled.

"_FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!" _

A salvo of small fireballs left the Keyblade's tip, slamming into the chest and face of the Armor. Naruto grabbed Dr. Cox from behind, around the waist, and began dragging him away. Unfortunately, he underestimated the weight of the doctor, and as he pulled Naruto found he barely moved the man at all. And apparently aggravated an injury or two.

"GAH! Damnit Newbie, stop that!" Cox shouted, gritting his teeth in pain.

"Well maybe if you weren't so _heavy-_CRAP!" One of the armor's massive gauntlets shot out, as though rocket-propelled. It stuck where Dr. Cox and Naruto were, smashing into the stone floor of the courtyard and digging a fair-sized crater. As the dust cleared, the giant Heartless saw that there were no bodies remaining-Just more pieces of stone.

"Haa… Haa…" High above the Second District, Naruto and Dr. Cox sat; both slumped against stone pedestals that lacked the gargoyles that the others along the roof had, posed with menacing snarls at the square below.

"What the hell… Was that?" Cox asked.

"_Kawarimi no __Jutsu. _It's a jutsu that lets me switch places with things that are just as heavy as me," Naruto wheezed back. He reached up and rubbed his eyes.

_Damnit… That took a lot of focus to pull off… Just what's up with my chakra?_

"How'd I end up coming along on this magical journey too?" Cox asked. Naruto looked over at him and grinned.

"Ah… I've never… Actually managed that jutsu with a passenger before."

"… Dare I ask what would have happened if it-?"

"Don't."

"Gotcha." Dr. Cox looked back down into the square, and his eyes widened. "Woah boy!"

The Keyblade screamed a warning as well, and Naruto quickly kicked Dr. Cox into a tumble, sending the doctor into an open window. Naruto rolled backwards, barely avoiding the massive boots of the Armor as they slammed down into the roof.

"Son of a-!" Naruto got back on his feet and launched another _Fire_ spell at the Armor, but once again it did little to the giant Heartless, save get it's attention. The blonde jumped backwards to avoid another of the Armor's rocket punches, roof tiles and stone showering the Keybearer. Naruto deflected most of it by spinning the Keyblade, and with a growl pointed the Keyblade at the Armor's feet.

"_BLIZZARD!"_ He shouted, covering the rooftop with a thin layer of frost. The Armor raised both it's gauntlets, and fired them off at Naruto. It lost it's balance enough due to the recoil that it's aim was off, but the twin impacts on the roof still sent Naruto flying off.

"AAAHHHHHH-OOF!" Naruto shouted, clutching the Keyblade tightly. He'd managed to catch the teeth of the weapon onto a windowsill, stopping his plunge. He reached out and pressed a hand to the side of the wall, instinctively pulling chakra up to stick to it. The Keyblade screamed in warning, and he looked up.

"Oh come _on!"_ He groaned, quickly bringing his feet up and kicking off the brick wall to avoid another Rocket Punch from the Armor, which proceeded to smash a large hole in the side of the building. Naruto hit the ground hard, managing to get into a tight ball and roll to disperse most of the kinetic energy, and was thrown over the stone railing lining the courtyard of the Second District, slamming him back almost right where he'd started from.

"Ugh… That wasn't… Fun," Naruto mumbled, slowly getting up and shaking the dizziness from his head. He heard the Armor's gauntlets screaming for him, and jumped away, both impacting hard into the ground behind him. Naruto quickly began forming handseals, and swiped some blood off a cut on his cheek. He turned around the moment he landed on the upper level, and grinned at the giant Heartless.

"Now you're in for it! Take this! _KUCHIYOSE NO JUTSU!"_

Naruto had no idea what he might get at this point-Maybe Gamabunta, maybe Gamakichi (again)-All he knew is that he had to try and summon some support.

What he didn't expect was for _nothing_ to happen. No poof of smoke, no chakra burst in response to his jutsu-Just, _nothing._ Naruto's eyes widened and he looked up as the Armor raised both gauntlets again, and launched them at him.

"Aw, shi-"

_KABOOM!_

Naruto was once again sent flying, through the window of a dress shop. He slammed through a line of mannequins wearing various styles, and tumbled, only able to stop himself by ramming the Keyblade down into the floor. He skidded to a halt, and slumped to the floor, panting hard, covered in cuts.

_What the heck is going…?_ He stopped his thought as the solution came to him in a flash.

_Konoha's gone… So…_ Mentally, he shook his head and got back up to his feet, biting back a groan. The Armor's gauntlets had flown back to floating at its sides, as though supported by invisible shoulders. It saw him rise, and raised them once more.

_Damnit… Magic isn't doing anything… Can't summon… My jutsus aren't working right…_ He tightened the grip on the Keyblade. _Guess that leaves one last option…_

He ran forward, leaping out of the window just as the Armor fired it's Rocket Punches. The Keyblade's warning let him leap above one, and he jumped off it, curling into a ball and flipping rapidly through the air. He uncurled right over the Guard Armor, Keyblade held high over his head.

"Take THIS!" He shouted, slamming his weapon into the faceplate of the giant Heartless. Naruto's foot stuck to the Armor's right shoulder, and as the Heartless reeled, he twisted around and hit the Heartless in the face again, even harder than before.

Naruto kept hitting the faceplate of the Heartless as hard as he could, raining blow after blow on it, before finally, with one last mighty strike, the head of the Heartless flew off it's shoulders and slammed into the pavement below. The rest of the body fell apart, and Naruto jumped off as the whole construct collapsed into a heap of metal. Naruto landed and went down to one knee, gripping the Keyblade tightly, panting for breath. He slowly stood up, and surveyed his fallen foe.

"Yeah… Teach you to… Pick on someone your own size… Huh? HUH?" Naruto taunted in between deep breaths. He turned and started to walk away, and stretched.

"Oh yeah… Just call me the Giant Slayer… Giant Slayer Narut-"

He blinked, and looked up at the Keyblade. Usually, after defeating a foe, unless he willed it otherwise, the Keyblade would vanish. Only if there was still a threat would it stick around.

_Only if there was still a threat…_

He started running, instinct and the Keyblade barely saving him from being crushed under one of the Armor's giant feet. The stomp sent him tumbling, and Naruto rolled into one of the courtyard walls. He slumped down onto his back, and looked up at the reforming Guard Armor.

"Damnit… Why won't you just _die_ already?!" Naruto shouted at the Heartless, getting back to his feet. He snarled up at the monster, mind working furiously.

_What the hell does it take to kill this thing?!_

"All right… Guess I'll just have to hit you until you _stop_ getting up, huh?" Naruto growled. The Guard Armor raised its gauntlets again, ready to fire it's deadly attack once more.

"_FIRE! BLIZZARD! THUNDER!" _

Three powerful elemental spells hit the Guard Armor in quick succession, and it staggered under the onslaught. A spinning shield flashed by over Naruto's head, and he watched in amazement as it struck the Heartless' right gauntlet, knocking it clean off. Naruto looked back.

Coming up fast to join him was a duck with a magic wand and no pants, and a six-foot dog thing.

"Huh?!"

The dog was fully dressed, which was odd enough, but he made it odder, wearing a tall cap with goggles on it, a black vest with a lot of pockets and what appeared to be metal-toed slippers. And gloves. Big, four-fingered white gloves. He reached out and caught the shield, which had circled back to him.

The duck wore a blue hat somewhat like a beret, with a zipper winding around it. On his body he wore a blue tunic with several pouches and additional zippers. In his right hand, he held a magic wand that crackled with power. Strangest of all though, was the fact that the duck wasn't wearing any pants.

They came to a stop on either side of Naruto, supporting him, as the Armor pulled itself back together. Surveying the three foes before it, the Heartless raised it's fists. Naruto looked back and forth between the dog thing and the duck, and they looked back at him. He turned back to the Guard Armor, and shrugged.

_I'll save my questions for later,_ he decided. "Let's go!"

The duck launched several _Fire_ spells into the Armor, staying back as Naruto and the dog rushed forward.

"I need to get to it's head!" Naruto shouted. The dog nodded and stopped, holding his hands out in a cradle.

"Hop on! I'll give ya a boost!" Naruto nodded, and jumped, foot landing on the dog's palms.

"Alley-OOP!"

The dog's boost, combined with his jump, sent Naruto soaring into the air, and he flew into the face of the Guard Armor, Keyblade thrust ahead.

"YAAAH!" Naruto struck the Heartless' helmet. Thanks to the _Lightening_ blast from the duck that followed, its faceplate snapped off, revealing a black orb with glowing yellow eyes. Naruto raised the Keyblade again, and smashed it into the monster's face, shattering it into dust with a burst of light. The whole armor wobbled, limbs now without a guiding will, and Naruto hung on as the whole thing fell into a broken mess. This time, the armor began to shatter and split apart, dissolving away slowly, and Naruto quickly escaped the wreckage. A large, glowing heart left the remains and sailed away into the sky, and the last of the Guard Armor vanished.

Naruto stood there for a few moments, making sure the Heartless was gone. He then turned and looked at the dog and the duck, Keyblade still out even though he didn't sense a threat. The dog, being closer stepped forward with a look of concern.

"Hey... You okay?"

"Yeah... Thanks," Naruto said, with a grateful smile.

"Don't mention it! One for all, and all for one!"

Naruto blinked at the dog. "Huh?"

The duck scowled. "You just _had_ to say it, didn't you?"

The dog grinned and shrugged sheepishly. He then turned back to Naruto.

"My name is Goofy!"

"And I'm Donald Duck," the duck added as he joined Naruto and Goofy. Naruto smiled at them both.

"Hey… I'm Naruto Uzumaki… And um… I think I'm going to take a little nap…"

_Thud._

"Oh! Hey! Naruto? Naruto, speak to me!" Goofy cried, picking the unconscious boy up by the shoulders and shaking him. Donald groaned.

"He's fine! He's just passed out!"

"Oh. Right," Goofy said. "Uh, oops…"

"Aw man… Did we miss a heck of a party!"

Both duck and dog looked up to see Yuffie jump down from the roof. After her came Leon, landing with his gunblade out. He scowled at the scene as Yuffie cheerfully hopped over to Goofy, Donald, and Naruto. She curiously poked the unconscious boy.

"Huh? Who's this?"

"Look at his neck," Leon said. The ninja checked, and gasped at the forehead protector, inscribed with the same symbol as Sasuke's village. She grimaced.

"Leon… If he's here, then that means…"

"That's not our main priority, Yuffie," Leon stated flatly. He looked over at the ground near Yuffie's feet, and his eyes narrowed.

"This boy… And _that, _are," he concluded, as the Keyblade shined unassumingly in the moonlight.

- - - - - - - - - -

Traverse Town saw a lot of new arrivals, of all shapes, sizes and possible descriptions. In a world full of talking animals, wizards, and otherwise extraordinary people, it took something really bizarre to warrant a second look. A pair of men dressed in black robes with red clouds on them were therefore considered barely worth a glance. Even the red clouds on their outfits and the wide-brimmed hats that shadowed and concealed their faces did not stand out.

Silent and unobtrusive, the two walked through the main gates, the shorter figure pausing to look at the sky.

"Itachi?" His companion rumbled.

"…"

The taller man chuckled.

"You are not feeling sentimental, are you?"

"Of course not. Just because I was born on it does not mean that particular star held any real meaning for me," Itachi replied. He turned his eyes on the taller man. "What about you, Kisame?"

"Me?" The man's grin was large and predatory, even in the shadow of his brim. "No regrets."

Itachi nodded, and his gaze shifted to the planet's single moon. "An entire universe filled with worlds…"

"Just one going out is worth the chance to see them all," Kisame stated. Itachi looked down at the district. His eyes flashed red.

"Let's go," he said, as the two men entered the crowds, vanishing in pursuit of their mission.

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Expecting another long-winded author's note? Well, you'd be wrong. I'm going to shut up for a long while. _

_As usual, special thanks to The Fanfiction Forum for all their help, and a special thanks to Captain Sarcasm, my good friend and editor._

_Now, a few omakes:_

How Akatsuki Survived the End of the World, by Andrew J. Talon

Deidara sighed out of boredom, and looked at his cards. "Got any threes, yeah?"

"Go fish," Sasori said.

Itachi and Kisame sat on the other side of the table, flicking a paper football between them. Konan filed her nails. Pein brooded. Kazuku counted his money, Hidan meditated, and Zetsu was munching on something that resembled a human arm.

Abruptly, the whole headquarters shook. Nobody stirred, aside from an orange masked wearing subordinate.

"Oh no! What was that?"

"Probably the end of the world," Kisame observed.

"Oh…"

"Thank God we're awesome, huh?" Kazuku asked.

"Amen," they all said.

(_What? You really thought I was going to tell you?)_

_I'm going to be focusing on omakes that fit the theme of the chapters I'm writing. Feel free to continue sending them in. Those that aren't put up immediately, I'll be holding onto until I find just the right chapter to put them in, okay?_

_For next chapter, omakes on what happened to Dr. Cox are encouraged, as I'll reveal his fate then. Also, for those of you asking, yes, _Scrubs_ is owned by _Disney_ so it can be used in this story._

_Crap. So much for a short author's note… Oh well. R&R please._


	36. Morning in Traverse Town

_**llVoice of Destiny/Inner Sakura**_

"Normal Talking"  
_  
Thoughts/Sound Effects_

_"Flashback dialogue/Japanese/Emphasis of words"_  
**  
"Demon speak"**

- - - - - - - - - -

Key Through the Heart  
_  
A fanfiction by Andrew J. Talon_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Kingdom Hearts, or any of the characters or properties mentioned in this story. The story's mine, the concept is mine, but everything else is not mine. And I'm certainly not writing this for profit._

_- - - - - - - - - - -  
_

Darkness. All that there is around him was darkness: Ever hungry, ever constant, ever trying to consume him from within. It was like it was pushing inside of his body and spreading out to begin to cover his skin.

"No…" He snarled. "Stop it… Recede… I don't need your power!"

The voice: The voice came out from within him, without him, all around.  
_**  
Still light left inside...  
**_  
The darkness spread over his skin further, burning like fire. He gritted his teeth against the pain, trying to use it to encourage his resistance.  
_  
I don't want to be here! I don't want to be here!_ He thought, anger burning against the pain.  
_**  
But it can serve as an effective lure…  
**_  
The pain receded, replaced with a feeling of freefall into the abyss below.

"ENGHH!"

"Sasuke… Sasuke?"

"Hn...nnmm?"

He opened his eyes. A familiar ceiling greets his sight, as do familiar sheets and mattress around him. An equally familiar pair of green eyes came into view.

"… Aerith?" He asked with a dry throat. The green eyes receded, revealing the woman entirely. She gave him a small smile.

"You gave me a bit of a fright last night... Do you remember what happened?"

Sasuke tried, and frowned. Nothing came to mind. Nothing but darkness.

"No…"

"Well... I was doing my rounds last night, when a star winked out, and well... You fell out of the sky, nearly on top of me," Aerith said, reaching out and touching his shoulder. Sasuke flinched, which made Aerith pull her hand back.

"Sorry," she said quietly. Sasuke shook his head, reaching up to grasp the back of his neck.

"You used the Seal, didn't you?"

He turned to look back at her: She stared back, perfectly calm.

"… I had to…" Sasuke quietly said.  
_  
I had to… I had to…  
_  
Sasuke clenched the back of his neck in irritation.

He had to… Naruto… He hadn't needed to use that other power… Had he?

Naruto… His world…

"That star… It was my world… Wasn't it?" He asked. Aerith nodded.

He buried his face in his palm and let out a long, slow breath. Mindful of his reaction last time, Aerith didn't move to touch him. Not until he'd vented. She could remember her own reactions to her world's conquest by the Heartless.

"Did… Did you find anyone else?"

"One other," Aerith said calmly, but promptly. "He's resting at Squall's home."

A flash of yellow appeared in his mind, and Sasuke felt the oddest sense of relief and exasperation for just a moment. It was a welcome respite from the darkness that just seemed to keep building and building within him.

"It's Naruto… Isn't it?"

"That's what he gave his name as..."

"Blonde, four foot ten, wears orange, incredibly annoying?"

Both Aerith and Sasuke looked at the door. A tall, red-haired man stood there, a black case in one hand. Sasuke blinked and managed a shrug.

"… Yes."

"Great. As for you… Let me guess. That hair is "natural", right?"

Sasuke just stared at him. Aerith sighed.

"Sasuke, this is Dr. Cox. Dr. Cox, Sasuke."

"Yeah, not going to remember that. You'll have to settle for Suzy Q," Cox said, walking over to Sasuke's side.

"Keep your eyes open," he said as he pulled out a small penlight. He shined it over Sasuke's eyes, and then raised his eyebrows.

"What in the...?"

Aerith coughed.

"Sasuke... Sharingan..."

Sasuke blinked. He could feel the chakra drain now. How did I miss this…?

"Hang on, hang on, don't shut that... Whatever the hell it is off yet," Cox said. He frowned and peered closer at Sasuke's eyes.

"Either this is the worst case of conjunctivitis I've ever seen, or you've got kaleidoscopes in your eyes. Dare I ask whose idea it was to plug those things into them? Yours, or was it peer pressure? Or were you just so eager to impress the boy next door you decided to make him get lost in your eyes? Because I can tell you right now, Mary Jane, all it's doing is making me feel dizzy..."

"...It's a hereditary trait...and I didn't know they were on..." Sasuke replied quietly, scowling a little more.

"Hereditary huh?" Cox asked. He watched the tomoe spin within the eyes for a bit longer, until Sasuke, irritated, smacked the penlight away. It smashed against the wall. Cox looked over at the wall, and then looked back at Sasuke.

"Shall I get you some dishes to throw as well, Gertrude? Or a tampon box? After you've used it, of course-"

"Sasuke, calm," Aerith said, placing a hand on the Uchiha survivor's shoulder. Sasuke glowered hatefully at Cox. The green eyed-woman looked at Dr. Cox with a serene expression.

"Dr. Cox, the sooner you are done, the sooner you can get back to your other patients."

"Ah, yes, but you see Aerith, I am blessed with the ability to multitask. So, I can degrade, insult, and otherwise gleefully crush someone's spirit while still treating and healing their body," Cox replied, procuring another penlight and shining it in the increasingly annoyed Sasuke's eyes. Aerith cleared her throat, expression quietly stern. Cox looked her in the eyes, annoyance building.

The two stared each other down for a few moments: Then, Dr. Cox looked away and put the spare penlight back in his case.

"Right, well… Moving on, open wide Fiona, I need to check your tonsils," Cox said in a somewhat lower tone of voice. Sasuke blinked, and looked over at Aerith. The brunette merely gave him a serene smile, that paradoxically made him feel comforted and uneasy.

"I know the feeling," Dr. Cox mumbled to Sasuke.

"Mm? What did you say, Dr. Cox?" Aerith asked.

"Nothing…"

After a few more tests with a minimum of snark, Dr. Cox pulled back.

"Well, you're in surprisingly good shape considering you went through the end of your world," the doctor said wryly. "You just need to rest and you'll be fine."

Sasuke ignored him and threw the covers off his body. Aerith coughed.

"Uh… Sasuke…"

He looked down at his boxers, and blushed a bit under Aerith's gaze.

"Where are my clothes?"

"Glad you don't want to make yourself quite so easy, Cindy Loo. Remember, more is more," Cox said, standing up. "I've got things to do. Tell me if anything changes, I just might care." With that, he turned and walked out, his shoulders tensing a little at Aerith's gaze falling on his back.

"Worse than Carla and Jordan combined," he muttered under his breath, so low that even Sasuke could just barely hear him.

"As for your clothes, they're in the wash," Aerith answered. She stood up and turned around, grabbing a stack of clothing and turning around to hand it over to him.

"These are some of Ed's." She then lowered her voice. "They might be a bit small for you though-"

"Doesn't matter," Sasuke cut her off, wincing a little as he pulled on a white T-shirt first. His shoulders were a little sore still. "Nnngh… I need to talk to Naruto and decide what to do now."

"You could wait," she said with a smile. Sasuke stared at her, and she sighed.

"Though I can't really blame you for not wanting to," she concluded. "You _will_ take it easy though, understand?"

Sasuke nodded shortly as he finished dressing. "Understood."

"Good," Aerith smiled, and handed over his sword, which he quickly strapped onto his back. "Shall we then?"

_- - - - - - - - - - - _

Naruto found himself slowly waking up, emerging from a deep and (for once) dreamless sleep. He kept his eyes closed though, as he could sense a chakra signature very near him.

_I swear, if this is another dog,_ he thought irritably as he slowly opened his eyes to see what was near him, and where he was. However, all that greeted him was a pair of wide brown eyes and a big smile.

"You're awake!"

"UWAAAH!" Naruto cried in shock, jumping back and hitting his head against the wall.

"D'OW!" He held his head and lost his balance, falling out of a bed in a tangle of sheets onto a hard wooden floor.

"SON OF A-OWW!"

Female giggling filled the air above him, and Naruto groaned, looking up. A slim, attractive kunoichi with short brown hair and dressed in rather skimpy clothing was sticking to the ceiling, laughing at him.

"Hahahaha! Oh, that was great!" She giggled. Naruto scowled up at her.

"What the heck were you doing?!"

"Debating whether or not I was going to kiss you awake," she replied with a flirtatious wink. "You really are so cute it was hard for me to resist!"

Naruto blushed heavily.

"H-Huh?! But-I-!"

"Just kidding," the kunoichi teased.

"Uh, I, er…" Naruto managed to put together some coherent thought, and scowled up at her. He then stood up, letting the blankets fall… And noticed a bit of a draft. He looked down and squeaked.

"Gah! Wh-Where are my pants?! And my shirt?!"

"They were torn up and dirty, so we sent them off to get cleaned and repaired," the kunoichi said. She winked again. "Can't say I'm sorry about it…"

Naruto's blush deepened, and he pulled up the blankets around him. The kunoichi dropped from the ceiling and landed on her feet, giving him a big grin.

"Hey, relax! You're safe here…" She rummaged around in a pack on the floor, and handed him some clothes. "If you really need to get dressed, here are some clothes from a friend of ours… Might be a bit big on you, though."

"Thanks, uh…?"

"My name's Yuffie," the kunoichi introduced herself with another wink and grin. "I'm the best ninja ever!"

Naruto blinked at her, and then smirked.

"Ha! Maybe on your world, but you haven't met me! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage!"

His smirk fell from his lips, and he looked away from her.

"Or… Um…"  
_  
… I was…  
_  
He didn't want to feel depressed, but his whole world, gone, just like that... It wasn't the kind of thing he could just put a smile over. He wanted, _needed_ to do something... But what...?

He felt a warm hand take his, and he looked at Yuffie. The kunoichi smiled at him.

"Hey… It's okay… Everyone here has been through exactly what you've been through. We're all… Well…"

"Refugees."

Both ninja turned to the door, where a scarred man in a leather-furred jacket with a lion-shaped pendant hanging from his neck stood. Naruto stared at him, and especially stared at the strange sword hanging from his belt.

"Way to spoil the moment, Squall," Yuffie said. Squall's eyes narrowed at her.

"Leon."

"Right, right… Uzumaki Naruto, meet Leon. This is his house."

"Uh, thanks," Naruto said. "Where are-?"

"The others are downstairs, having breakfast," Leon stated. He turned to go. "You're free to join after you're bathed and dressed."

"Oh, no worries about the bathing, Leon! I already took care of that!" Yuffie called back cheerfully. Naruto's whole body burned in a deep blush, as Yuffie turned back and gave him a sweet smile.

"Need any help getting dressed?" She posed innocently. Naruto, flustered, backed away and tripped over his blanket, yelping as he felt back onto the floor. Yuffie giggled again.

"You're just too cute, you know that?"

"Gah…"

_That smile should be registered as a deadly weapon,_ Naruto thought with complete seriousness.

_- - - - - - - - - - - _

This was no ordinary game. It was a task for the mighty, a task for the most determined. Kisame had faced many challenges over the course of his life. From his intense training to become a ninja of the Village Hidden in the Mists, to being chosen by and mastering Samehada, to ultimately rebelling against his country and slaughtering hundreds of ninja, samurai and daimyo. He was ruthless, powerful...

"Argghhh..."

The claw refused, once more, to deposit the toy he sought into the receptacle. Kisame growled at the machine, watching his prize once again fall into the mass of green, rubber space men.

"You've been at that game for two hours now," Itachi spoke nearby, finishing off another slice of pizza. The S-Rank criminal wiped his lips clean, and nodded. The food was rather greasy, but absolutely delicious, and it's design practically guaranteed social eating. It was a clever idea. It would have probably taken off like a rocket in Konoha, and would have brought the Uchiha back to their roots in a manner of speaking. They had started out as blacksmiths for the Hyuuga Clan, a servant clan, but had branched out into many fields, including police work and cooking.

_Uchiha Pizza... It has a ring to it..._

"I say it's rigged," Kisame growled, fishing around in his pockets for another coin. Itachi easily resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Of course it's rigged. Otherwise they wouldn't have made any money."

"Then how, praytell, is it rigged?" Kisame growled, looking it over. "I can't figure it out!"

"Why are you so interested in that game anyway?" Itachi asked. Kisame tapped the glass with a shark's grin.

"There is one toy within not like the others..." He turned back and narrowed his eyes. "I believe it is called... A Buzz Lightyear."

Kisame looked up, and raised his brow as Itachi was now standing in front of the machine, digging out another coin.

"Itachi?"

"Scoot over," he ordered. "I'll get it out."

Itachi inserted his coin, and took the controls. With precise movement of the joystick, he brought the claw over the action figure, and slowly reeled it out. With equal precision, he brought it over to the receptacle and released, the toy making a loud thump as it hit the bottom.

"Impressive," Kisame said with a grin. He reached for the toy, only to sense a bit of Itachi's killing intent. He turned his head and looked at his partner.

"I won it. It's mine," Itachi stated flatly. Kisame growled.

"I spent the most munny trying to get it!"

"Trying. I actually got it."

"Only when I pointed it out!"

"It's still mine. There are plenty of other toys inside."

"Not another Buzz Lightyear!"

"That's your problem, not mine."

"Uh... Excuse me, sirs... But is there a problem?"

The two Akatsuki members turned to regard the blonde woman who stood before them. She wore a formal blue military uniform, with a Pizza Planet badge identifying her as the manager. Kisame grinned politely.

"No problem miss... No problem at all."

"Keep it that way," she stated flatly, turning and walking away. Itachi actually blinked as he followed her away. He then slapped Kisame's hand.

"Ow!"

"Pathetic," Itachi stated. Kisame held his hand and sulked as Itachi retrieved the Buzz Lightyear. He sniffed... And then sniffed again.

"Hmmm..." He closed his eyes. "I can sense it..."

Itachi nodded. "As can I... It's moving closer."

"_They_ are moving closer," Kisame corrected. Itachi shrugged.

"One or the other, it does not matter. We can obtain them both easily enough."

"If that's so... Can we at least finish up our lunch?" Kisame asked. Itachi turned back to their table, and to the half-eaten pizza. He nodded.

"Very well..."

- - - - - - - - - - -

_Sorry for the long wait. Final exams for school have been rather taxing, especially with graduation coming up. Also, very sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but I wanted to keep the story moving somehow. So, look forward to another chapter after May 16__th__-When I've graduated with my shiny new diploma._

… _Okay, so it's just a liberal arts associate's degree, but it'll let me get a real degree thanks to the magic of transfers. And then I'll see what kind of jobs are left after our Glorious New Leader is done with the economy. Until then, enjoy some omakes! As always, please review and remember that even if I don't include your omake in the very next chapter, it will be included somewhere. _

_And please review. _

What happened to Dr Cox? Dr. Cox Meets Mai Valentine (From Yu-Gi-Oh! Abridged). By Captain Sarcasm.

*Glass shattering*

"What the-? Breast senses... Tingling!"

"Well hello there." *Looks up.* "And... hello to you too."

"What are you doing in my apartment?"

"I could think of a few things."

"My breasts and I prefer younger men."

"What about other parts of you?"

"They also have their preferences. Now, get out... Unless..."

"Unleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees?"

"You'd like to play a card game with me."

"And by play card games you mean the two of us ditch the pretenses and the

euphemisms, get over to that bed and see if we can't bump this from an E to an M?"

"Nnnnooo. And while we're breaking the fourth wall, aren't you married? Or divorced? However it works for you?"

"It works very well, thank you."

"No thanks. Besides, my breasts are too big for this crossover…"

Somewhere, a blonde Sannin sneezed.

Not in Konoha... By The False One-Winged Angel

Naruto slowely opened his eyes, groaning softly at his aching bones. He quickly sat up as his memories returned from the previous day. "What the hell!?" He shouts, looking franticly around him, while he's still on top of the ramen shack. He looks down to the ground, where he see's midgets dancing and singing near-by a yellow brick road.  
"Ding Dong, the Witch is dead! The wicked ol' Witch is dead!" Sung the little munchkins.

Naruto blinks at the Keyblade, and says, "I don't think we're in Konoha anymore..."

Another "What Happened to Dr. Cox?" omake, by RockLeetheAwesome:

The cynical doctor picked himself up from the dusty floor. Brushing himself off, Dr. Cox looked around the room he was in. It looked to be an old attic. There was a rundown grandfather clock off to his right, and what looked to be a bunch of furniture covered in plastic.

He turned back to go out the way he came in only to find that the window that had shut behind him was gone, leaving but an empty wall. He frowned, shaking his head. "Good luck, Newbie. Don't get yourself killed."

He turned back around and began to walk through the rather large attic. "Huh. Where's Jordan when you need something cleaned. Hell, Barbie would be welcome." He said half sarcastically. Being away from those you know, (and dare he think it) love, takes a toll on even him.

He walked around a rather large cabinet and stopped dead. There in front of him was what he was looking for. A door, white in color, with bronze handles. "Now to get out of this decrepit place." He walked briskly toward it, his gloomy attitude starting to disappear.

As he lifted his arm for the handle once he got close enough, the border around the door shined brightly, causing Perry to cover his face. When the light dissipated, he lowered his arms. Looking into the now open doorway, he scratched his head. "Huh, a door that leads to nothingness. Always fun."

He took a step back, unsure of whether to actually go through the seemingly empty doorway. It decided to make the choice for him as it began to suck air wildly into itself. "Ah, hell!" was Dr. Cox' only reply, before he, and pretty much everything else in the attic was sucked into the darkness inside, the doors shutting behind it.

-----

Reliving his own memories was something he didn't like doing. Especially when he had to watch Jordan and the kids get taken right in front of him. As he watched the monkey like heartless take his ex-wife's heart again for the umpteenth time, he bolted upright.

"Well, Perry, it's good to see you're still in one piece." Said a gravelly voice to his right.

Cox turned towards the voice in question, only to find someone he'd never thought he'd be happy to see. "Bobbo? Is...is that..really you?" He asked, wide eyed. Rubbing his eyes, he blinked a couple times, letting his vision clear. When his old boss was still standing next to him, he hopped off the table, and enveloped the man in a strong hug.

Bob Kelso returned said hug warmly. When they broke apart, Perry spoke again. "Bob, I don't know where to start! How, first of all!"

Bob crossed his arms. "I don't know myself. All I know is when the heartless enveloped our world, I ended up here. The Interdimensional Rift."

Perry shook his head. "Interdimensional Rift? What the hell is that?" He looked around. There were two more people in the room. One looked to be a simple teenager, in loose blue pants with a brown belt holding them up, along with a matching blue shirt, and a purple bandana tied around his head. He had a rusted sword looped through his belt.

The other was rather strange. He was wearing a full set of Genji Armor, and had a partisan on his back. That wasn't the strange part. Having six arms was what made him strange.

Said six armed man spoke up. "The Interdimentional Rift is the original connector of all the worlds. Before Gummi travel was invented, people used the rift as a means of travel from world to world. Until Exdeath appeared, that is..." He clenched one of his six fists.

"Okay.....who's Exdeath? He's obviously for the dark side, his name gives that away." Dr. Cox replied. The teen spoke up after a nod from the six armed one.

"Exdeath is an evil spirit that's been trying to help Maleficent and the Heartless gain control of The Void, which has been sealed here in the Rift since the Keyblade wars."

"You're losing me again, Susan. What the hell is The Void?" The good doctor smirked as the teen began to fume.

"My name is Randi, and The Void is literally the power of nothingness. It can wipe entire planets out of existence. If the powers of darkness ever got a hold of it again, we may never win this."

Dr. Cox looked to Bob, who shrugged. "I'm letting them tell the story, I know less than they do. What I do know is we need another good doctor."

Perry grimaced. "Bad enough that I was the only doctor in Traverse Town..."

Randi jumped at the mention of Traverse Town. "You were in Traverse Town?!" He cried, running up to the man. When Dr. Cox nodded, he got even more frantic. "Did you happen to see a blond girl about my age, in a pink dress? Or maybe a sprite child with pink hair in a green tunic? Their names were Purim and Popoie!"

Dr. Cox shook his head. "Sorry Gina, I was so busy with the increasing heartless activity there, I didn't really pay attention to people. The only blond person ringing a bell was this kid named Naruto. He had a really weird key shaped sword."

While Randi was busy being upset about his friends not being found, the six armed man stepped forward. "Did you say that boy had a key shaped sword? Did it look like this?" He reached behind his back, before pulling forth what looked like an exact replica of the kids sword.

"Yeah, it was. Guess it wasn't so special after all. Kid was annoying anyway." The cynical doctor replied.

"This is a fake." The six armed man replied. "I would know, being the master swordsmen and treasure hunter, Gilgamesh." Having put the keyblade replica away, he scratched his head. "Hmm.....A new Keymaster has been chosen. We may have a chance yet...." He began to wander off, musing to himself.

Bob turned to Perry. "I know you may not want to do anything, Perry, but you know you have to do something. Wouldn't you want some measure of vengeance on the creatures that took our families and friends away from us?" The old doctor replied, giving Dr. Cox a hard stare.

The redhead thought hard. It'd be with great reluctance for having to help a bunch of stupid people patch up injuries they're giving themselves. He did want to get back at the Heartless for taking his family from him. He just couldn't stand people.

"Gahh. There's something wrong with me, Bobbo. I hug you not ten minutes ago. An hour or two prior I was helping some random kid around town, before we were attacked, and in the ensuing madness, I ended up here. I think...I think I'm...getting _soft_, Bobbo..."

The former chief of Medicine just smiled, and put a hand on Dr. Cox's shoulder. "Well, that just tells you you're getting old."

Dr. Cox just laughed slightly. "Well, what the hell. Might as well do what I do best, eh?"

Bob looked appalled for a minute. "Like we need you to be crushing our troops spirits." He said.

Perry smiled wryly. "There's no need to get snarky, Bob."

_The above omake is not canon to this story, just so you know. More omakes regarding what happened to Dr. Cox are welcome though._


End file.
